Reports | Karim Adeyemi to move to Barcelona for €40 million after Xavi establishes interest

Xavi Hernandez was recently appointed as Barcelona manager and is keen to bolster the strength of the squad after the departures of key players such as Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann in the summer. The Spanish manager does not have much depth in his attacking options and is keen to add a proper striker to his squad after evaluating his options. The Barcelona boss has identified Karim Adeyemi as his preferred choice as they aim to recruit a striker.

A host of European clubs are keeping track of the German teenager as he continues to put on stellar displays for the Austrian club. The 19-year-old was a part of the Bayern Munich youth academy but moved on to greener pastures as he strived for increased game time. Adeyemi signed for RB Salzburg prior to the 2018-19 season and has put on some impressive performances for the Austrian giants as he has scored 25 goals and registered 17 assists in 72 appearances across all competitions. 

However, it's his form this season that has attracted attention as he already has 15 goals with three of them coming in the Champions League. Furthermore, according to Sport 1, Adeyemi is targeted by Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona who have emerged as the frontrunners to sign the teenager. Dortmund has an established track record of providing first team opportunities to youngsters but it is understood that the Catalan club will offer a fee of €40 million which is higher than the €35 million which Dortmund would be able to offer.