Barca blow for Rashford as Flick could ‘try luck’ with

Barcelona are supposedly prepared to try their luck with a Borussia Dortmund attacker next summer if he does not renew his contract with the German giants.

La Blaugrana are currently going through a rough patch under Hansi Flick, losing 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and suffering a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Sevilla in La Liga over the weekend.

The one positive aspect of the latter result was a fine finish from Marcus Rashford, who has quickly found his feet in Catalonia since joining on loan from Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

The England international has managed three goals and five assists in his first 10 games for Barcelona, and he would likely jump at the chance to sign for the La Liga champions permanently.

Barcelona are understood to have an option to buy Rashford for around £26.2m at the end of the season, but it remains to be seen whether La Blaugrana trigger that clause.

Barcelona to ‘try luck’ with Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi?

Alternatively, Sky Sports claims that Flick’s side are also keeping a close eye on Dortmund attacker Karim Adeyemi, whose future at the Westfalenstadion is becoming increasingly uncertain.

Adeyemi joined BVB from Red Bull Salzburg on a five-year deal in 2022, but he has not signed a single contract extension with the 2023-24 Champions League finalists, meaning that he is due to become a free agent in 2027.

Talks are understood to have been opened between Adeyemi and Dortmund regarding a renewal – according to Sport Bild via BuliNews – but the club could look to sell the 2002-born attacker if no agreement is reached.

Barcelona could allegedly ‘try their luck’ with the Germany international ‘as soon as’ the summer transfer window opens for business, potentially harming Rashford’s chances of securing a permanent move to Camp Nou.

Adeyemi has amassed 29 goals and 22 assists in 115 games for Dortmund since joining from Salzburg in 2022, including three strikes and three helpers from eight games in the current campaign.

What would Adeyemi bring to Barcelona? Where could he fit in?

Adeyemi has largely occupied a central role for Borussia Dortmund this season, but not as an out-and-out number nine – instead featuring as one of two number 10s/second strikers behind Maximilian Beier or Serhou Guirassy in Niko Kovac’s system.

The Germany international is therefore unlikely to be seen as a long-term Robert Lewandowski replacement for Barcelona, rather someone who can cover and challenge the likes of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal out wide.

Adeyemi is not the most prolific attacker in the game, but he rarely shies away from a dribble, averaging 5.55 take-ons per 90 minutes over the past year and often generating chances or goals from such moves.

Compared to all other wide men in Europe’s big five leagues, Adeyemi sits in the 97th percentile for goal-creating actions from a take-on (0.21 per game) and in the 94th percentile for shot-creating actions from a take-on (0.71).

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