Barcelona step up their pursuit of German striker after advice from Xavi

It has not even been a week since Xavi was appointed as head coach of Barcelona, and he is already shaking the tree. Not only has he implemented strict disciplinary measures, but the Spanish coach is also working with the club to bring in reinforcements, both new and old.

One player he reportedly has his eye on is RB Salzburg’s Karim Adeyemi, according to SPORT1. Adeyemi was a subject to links with Barcelona over the summer, but Barcelona have decided to step up their pursuit for him after word from Xavi.

Xavi’s setup at Al Sadd included a lot of quick forward spread across the frontline. He believes that Adeyemi fits in the mould well, given his blistering pace and the ability to stretch play.

The German finished last season on a high note and has had a spectacular start to this. He leads the Austrian Bundesliga’s scoring charts with 11 goals while winning four(!) penalties in as many games in the UEFA Champions League.

Barça are, apparently, on good terms with Adeyemi’s agent and met him in Barcelona last week to hold talks regarding the striker.

With a concerning lack of forwards at the club given Sergio Aguero’s medical diagnosis, looking at offensive targets in January and then June comes as no surprise.

Memphis Depay has taken a lot of the responsibility, but with Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati suffering consecutive knocks, he is often left isolated in matches with little to no aid.

BU Opinion

For all of his pull power, Joan Laporta will not be able to bring in Adeyemi at a discounted price.

The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig have all been linked with him, and the bidding war in June could get pretty serious.

All said and done, though, at 19, the Salzburg ace has shown frightening potential. It will not be surprising to see him go at a hefty transfer price already, with all top teams across the continent vying for his signature.