Transfer: Barcelona agree deal to sign Nigeria’s ‘fufu man’ for €22 million

Spanish champions Barcelona have reached a full agreement with Borussia Dortmund to sign Karim Adeyemi, soccernet.ng/wp/wp/ reports.

The German forward, who is of Nigerian descent, had been the subject of intense transfer speculation throughout the summer. With his contract at Dortmund due to expire in 2027 and no breakthrough in talks over a new deal, the Bundesliga club became open to selling him rather than risk his value dropping further.

soccernet.ng/wp/wp/ had earlier reported that Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona were closing in on an agreement, with negotiations said to be around 90 per cent complete.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the two clubs have now reached a full agreement on a deal worth around €22 million and an additional €7 million in performance-related add-ons.

Karim Adeyemi set for Barcelona move

Adeyemi leaves Dortmund after an impressive spell that began when he joined the club in 2022. He enjoyed an outstanding debut campaign, winning the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award before establishing himself as one of the team's most important attacking players.

He also played a key role in Dortmund's run to the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, where they eventually lost to Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old, who has never hidden his love for his Nigerian roots, once went viral after crediting his pace to eating the popular Nigerian dish, fufu and that remark earned him the nickname “Nigeria's fufu man” among football fans.

“I eat a lot of African food, but I have good genetics from my dad. It’s called fufu from Nigeria, and it's also very good”, Adeyemi had revealed during an interview in 2023.

After making 146 appearances for the German club, Adeyemi is now set to begin a new chapter at Barcelona and will become the club's second major signing of the summer following the arrival of Anthony Gordon, as the Catalan giants continue strengthening their squad ahead of next season.

The Blaugrana see Adeyemi as an important addition to bolster their attacking options as they aim to compete strongly in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.

Although the club have enjoyed domestic success by winning back-to-back league titles, they remain determined to end their long wait for another European crown, having not lifted the Champions League since 2015.

The transfer is now expected to be completed in the coming days, with medical tests and the remaining paperwork to be finalized before Adeyemi is officially unveiled as a Barcelona player ahead of the club's pre-season preparations.