The first major dominos of the 2022 summer transfer window are starting to fall. You know how it goes, this team signs this player away from that team, and then that team signs a replacement away from another club, and then so on and so on etc. etc.
Erling Haaland is officially off to Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund have found their replacement at the same club they signed Haaland away from. Karim Adeyemi, 20, is the Austrian Bundesliga’s top scorer, and he is now headed to Dortmund, on a deal that will keep him at the club until 2027. BVB made the announcement just hours after the Haaland news was made official by Man City.
Adeyemi has 17 goals this season, helping lead Salzburg to their ninth-straight Austrian Bundesliga title, and the Champions League round-of-16.
The German international becomes the third signing of the off-season, joining Germany defender Niklas Sule, who joining on a free from Bayern Munich and Nico Schlotterbeck, who arrived for a fee in the region of €26m from Freiburg.
“Karim Adeyemi is a highly talented, young German international who through his strong finishing and incredible pace will make a valuable addition to our attacking play,” says current BVB Sporting Director Michael Zorc.
“After the transfers of Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck, we are getting another very exciting player for next season with Karim Adeyemi. What is more, he is someone who has a strong affinity for BVB, who supported the Black & Yellows as a youngster and who decided to sign for Borussia Dortmund amidst several offers from Europe’s top leagues.
“His speed and goal-scoring ability are impressive, and although Karim, at just 20 years old, is already at a very advanced stage in his development as a footballer and athlete, we still see enormous potential for more,” added Sebastian Kehl, who will assume the role of BVB’s Sporting Director next season.
Karim Adeyemi himself said to the official club website:
“As a young boy I was fascinated by the Black & Yellows’ fast-paced football. That’s why, as soon as I heard Dortmund were interested in me, I knew I wanted to sign with BVB.
“I made the conscious decision to sign a long-term deal because I’m convinced that we’re going to form an exciting team, that with the support of the amazing fans in Dortmund will be able to compete for and win titles in the years to come.’’
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.