Karim Adeyemi: How Barcelona secured a deal Real Madrid chose to abandon

Real Madrid were offered the chance to sign Karim Adeyemi last summer but decided against pursuing the Germany winger, who subsequently joined Barcelona in a transfer that could add an extra edge to El Clasico.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on DAZN that Adeyemi’s name was presented to Real Madrid during the summer window. However, the club opted not to continue negotiations after deciding the player did not fully match the profile they wanted to add to their squad.

The decision has taken on greater significance since Adeyemi became one of Barcelona’s most notable signings of the same transfer period. The 24-year-old was clear from the outset that his preferred destination was Camp Nou and that he wanted to play for the Catalan club.

Adeyemi’s representative, Jorge Mendes, was responsible for offering the player to Barcelona after identifying a potential opportunity in the transfer market that could appeal strongly to the club.

At the time, Adeyemi was approaching the final year of his contract with Borussia Dortmund, which was due to run until 30 June 2027. He had already decided against extending that agreement, a stance that played a decisive role in shaping the negotiations.

The Germany international was prepared to wait for Barcelona and informed Borussia Dortmund that he had no intention of renewing his contract. That left the German club facing a choice: negotiate a transfer and receive a fee, or risk losing the player for nothing at the end of the season.

Romano had said in July that Adeyemi did not want to move to any club other than Barcelona. His refusal to sign a new contract also strengthened Barcelona’s position as talks with Borussia Dortmund progressed.

Borussia Dortmund initially demanded 40m euros for the winger, a figure Barcelona were not prepared to pay. The Catalan club instead opened with an offer worth 20m euros before reaching an agreement that secured the player for 22m euros in fixed payments, with a further 7m euros in add-ons.

The final package was therefore considerably below Borussia Dortmund’s original valuation and gave Barcelona what was regarded as highly favourable financial terms.

Barcelona also added a Germany international known for his exceptional pace, dribbling ability and capacity to influence matches in one-on-one situations. For Real Madrid, the decision not to proceed with the deal now forms part of the background to a move that delivered Barcelona a high-profile player at a competitive price.