Barcelona agree terms with Marcus Rashford replacement as bargain transfer nears

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Barcelona have found their replacement for Marcus Rashford, with Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi close to joining the Camp Nou side.

Rashford spent a season on loan with the Blaugrana, but while the Spanish champions had a clause that would have allowed them to sign him for €30 million from Manchester United on a permanent basis, that was an option they elected not to take up.

Instead, they are ready to channel that money towards Adeyemi, with the Dortmund winger expected to arrive for a fee in the region of €30-40m.

Current ETV

Karim Adeyemi

F (CR), M (R)

Dortmund

Karim Adeyemi

F (CR), M (R)

Dortmund

€44.9M

ETV Range

€40.4M - €49.3M

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Barcelona have already agreed personal terms with the 24-year-old, according to Marca, with only an agreement over a transfer fee required to finalise the deal.

Fabrizio Romano says that Barca have already made a bid for Adeyemi, with the Germany international having set his sights only on a move to Camp Nou.

How does Adeyemi shape up compared to Rashford?

Adeyemi is notably a more orthodox right winger than Rashford, who impressed in that role towards the end of last season. The Englishman, though, is not proven on the right on a long-term basis.

Interestingly, Adeyemi was primarily used as an attacking midfielder rather than a winger by Dortmund last season, which highlights his versatility.

In terms of ability, meanwhile, data analytics firm SciSports indicates the two players are of approximately the same standard currently, with Adeyemi as the younger man offering a higher potential ceiling.

The German is a far more direct player in terms of his style, offering a verticality to his play that Rashford does not have. He will commit defenders more often and seek to beat them. However, he has historically been significantly less decisive in terms of goals and assists.

Adeyemi to Barcelona: Expert opinion

German football expert Ronan Murphy is unconvinced this is a deal that will be successful, highlighting

“There's a discussion happening right now among American sports fans asking what if the best athletes in the USA played soccer and soccer only. How many years would it take the USMNT to win the World Cup? The arguments fail to account for the technical skills needed to succeed in association football, most clearly shown by the fact the best player of all time, Lionel Messi, would not get in an NFL locker room as the water boy, never mind onto the field,” he explains.

“Somebody at Barcelona must have forgotten all about their best-ever player and instead thought athleticism is what's needed in today's game. Sure, Karim Adeyemi will be excellent in Hansi Flick’s chaotic high-pressing game, but only when Barcelona don’t have the ball.

“At Borussia Dortmund, he regularly made the wrong choice in possession, much to the frustration of fans and coaches. When he was benched in February 2026, Dortmund legend Roman Weidenfeller said: ‘I just wish for Karim that he wasn’t only the difference-maker on paper, but also on the pitch.’ Things did not really improve for him after that and he missed out on Germany’s World Cup squad. So to see him move to Barcelona seems bizarre. Unless they just really like fast players. Maybe they can win the 2030 World Cup with them.”

So why have Barcelona signed him?

Adeyemi fits nicely into Barcelona’s budget, with the Blaugrana clearly having earmarked an attacker around the €30m mark as far back as last summer when they budgeted this figure to sign Rashford.

He provides the same ability to cover multiple positions but does so at a far more appealing wage level.

Barca are certainly gambling over his offensive output, yet they will see Adeyemi as one worth taking.

He only has a year left on his Dortmund contract, which is why his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has dipped to €44.9m. Barcelona appear poised to sign him for even less than this, so they are getting a comparative bargain.

Adeyemi may have rough edges to his game offensively, but his defensive output combined with his versatility, his transfer fee and wage demands have persuaded Flick that he will be a valuable addition to the squad going forward.