Adeyemi scores on Barcelona debut after Man United snubbed £26.5m move

Karim Adeyemi announced himself at Barcelona with a goal and an assist in a 5-2 pre-season victory over FC Basel on Sunday, raising questions over Manchester United’s decision to pass up a move for the 24-year-old German forward this summer.

Barcelona secured Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund for just £26.5m last month, a significant discount on the £70m valuation attached to him during January’s transfer window. United had been linked with the winger in January but chose not to pursue a deal, instead prioritising midfield reinforcements following Casemiro’s departure — bringing in Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos from Chelsea.

Adeyemi’s performance against Basel drew widespread praise from the international football press. Spanish outlet SPORT named him the ‘star of the show’, while Marca noted he had ‘particularly stood out’ during the contest.

The reaction on social media was equally enthusiastic. One user on X wrote: “How on earth did we convince Dortmund to let Adeyemi come for just €22m?” Another added: “He arrived quietly but could spring a surprise,” while a third pointed to his career numbers as evidence of his quality: “A player who single-handedly took a team like Dortmund to a UCL final is considered elite for me. He’s just 24. His output is pretty impressive — 30-plus G/A averaging Saka’s best season, and he never played for an elite team.”

Adeyemi’s pedigree supports the excitement. After joining Red Bull Salzburg as a professional in 2018, he contributed 33 goals and 24 assists in 94 appearances before Dortmund signed him in 2022. He then added 36 goals and 25 assists in 125 games for Die Schwarzgelben, including a run to the Champions League final in 2023-24, before Barcelona moved decisively to land him at a cut-price fee.

With Barcelona set to compete in La Liga and the Champions League this season, Adeyemi’s debut contribution will only sharpen the sense among United supporters that a genuine opportunity was left on the table.