BVB confirms Adeyemi's release: Barcelona move imminent

The 24-year-old, whose contract with BVB expires in summer 2027, had previously informed the club of his desire to move. „hatte den Club zuvor über seinen Wechselwunsch informiert", the reports stated. Dortmund could receive up to 29 million euros in total through bonus payments.

Stages of a turbulent transfer

The winger had come to Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg four years ago for a little over 30 million euros, making him one of the most expensive BVB signings in recent memory. During his four years at the Ruhr club, he made 146 competitive appearances and scored 36 goals, including seven in the past season.

With Dortmund, the 24-year-old reached, among other things, the Champions League final in the 2023/24 season. Dortmund lost that match 0-2 against Real Madrid. However, in the past season, Adeyemi was only intermittently part of the regular starting lineup.

In the second half of the past Bundesliga season, the winger started only five of 17 matches and scored three goals and assisted three more in those 17 games. In addition, muscular issues limited his availability at times.

National team and sporting record

Hansi Flick first called him up to the German national team in September 2021. Adeyemi has since played eleven matches for the DFB team. He was not nominated for the German side's most recent summer tournament.

At FC Barcelona, the Spanish football champions, Adeyemi would meet the young superstar Lamine Yamal. Barcelona had most recently signed the recently acquired Englishman Anthony Gordon and is continuing to reshape its squad under Flick.

In addition to Adeyemi, Kjell Wätjen was also released. The 20-year-old midfielder was released ahead of an expected move to FC Midtjylland along with former coach Mike Tullberg. Wätjen had joined the BVB youth setup in 2015 at the age of eleven.

Parallels: Wätjen's departure to Midtjylland

The midfielder had spent the past season on loan at second-division side VfL Bochum and was unable to establish himself permanently in Dortmund's first team. His contract with BVB runs until June 30, 2028.

In November, Adeyemi had accepted a penalty order for unauthorized possession of a weapon, and the court imposed a fine. Shortly afterward, following his substitution in a match against Borussia Mönchengladbach, there was an angry reaction from the attacking player.

Both incidents played a role in public perception over the past weeks as speculation about the winger's departure grew louder. Dortmund had not previously commented publicly, instead referring to ongoing talks.

Context: Penalty order and public perception

With the release from the performance diagnostics — the medical entry test at the start of pre-season preparations — the first official step has now been taken. Confirmation of the transfer by Barcelona is still pending according to the involved media outlets.

Sources for the reporting include the Bild newspaper, Kicker, transfermarkt.de, as well as dpa and sid. The report was published on July 12, 2026 and is based on the dpa news channel.

If the transfer is completed as reported, Dortmund would also receive a sell-on clause of 35 percent. This would mean BVB would financially benefit from any later sale of Adeyemi by Barcelona.

Outlook on the completion

For BVB, the departure of the 24-year-old would be a blow both sporting and financially. Sportingly, the club would lose a pacey winger who in his best phases could decide games single-handedly. Financially, the transfer fee including add-ons would recoup part of the original investment.

Barcelona, on the other hand, would sign another attacking player with Bundesliga experience in Adeyemi. Under Flick, who led German record champions Bayern Munich to the treble in 2020, the squad is to be broadened for the coming season.

The official confirmation of the move is expected in the coming days. Until then, Adeyemi remains formally a BVB player, even though the release has already practically sealed his departure.