Barcelona Signs Karim Adeyemi; Newcastle Nears Aladji Bamba Deal

Barcelona have signed German winger Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund ⁠on a deal until 2031 while Newcastle are set to make Aladji Bamba their fourth summer signing.

The La Liga club will pay around €22m (£19m) plus add-ons for the Germany international ⁠and the package includes a sell-on clause.

“FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund have reached an agreement for the ⁠transfer of forward Karim Adeyemi, who has signed a ​contract with the Catalans ‌until 2031,” Barcelona ‌said in a statement.

Adeyemi joined Dortmund in 2022 from ‌Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg and made 146 appearances for the Bundesliga club, scoring 36 goals in all competitions. The 24-year-old will reunited with Hansi Flick, who handed him his senior debut for the Germany ‌national team during the coach’s two-year spell in charge.

Adeyemi becomes Barcelona’s second attack-minded ⁠signing of the transfer window after the arrival ​of Anthony ​Gordon.

Gordon’s former club, Newcastle, meanwhile, are set to make Aladji Bamba their fourth summer signing. The 20-year-old Monaco midfielder flew to Tyneside on Thursday ahead of a £34m move from the Ligue 1 side.

Providing all proceeds to plan, Bamba will be the fourth player Eddie Howe has signed aged 20 or under during this close season. The France Under-20 midfielder – who made 25 senior appearances for Monaco last season – will join the former Reims goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen (aged 20), the former Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Touré (20) and the former Ajax midfielder Sean Steur (18).

Newcastle’s new transfer policy is to sign players aged 24 or under costing – broadly – between £20m and £40m and possessing high resale potential. The idea is to help ensure a club that has recently negotiated a three-year settlement agreement with Uefa after breaching European spending rules remains on the right side of football’s squad investment regulations..

Given that he prefers to operate as a No 6, Bamba is seen as a replacement for the Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali who swapped Newcastle for Tottenham in an initial £92.5m deal.

Howe still hopes to keep Bruno Guimarães in the face of interest from Arsenal. Mikel Arteta is keen to add the Brazil midfielder to his squad and Newcastle’s captain is believed keen on moving to north London.

Arsenal though have yet to make a formal offer for Guimarães and Newcastle maintain a player who turns 29 later this year is not for sale. They seem unlikely to come to the negotiating table for an offer less than around £75m.