Karim Adeyemi has continued to play for Borussia Dortmund amid links with Premier League clubs Manchester United and Arsenal but his last appearance didn't go brilliantly
Karim Adeyemi during Borussia Dortmund vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Karim Adeyemi during Borussia Dortmund vs Borussia Monchengladbach
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Germany star Karim Adeyemi will be hit with a fine by Borussia Dortmund following his reaction to being substituted against Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday. The 23-year-old has been linked with a Premier League switch, making it clear he favours Arsenal over Manchester United, but for now remains at Signal Iduna Park
Controversy has followed Adeyemi around of late. The forward, who is represented by Jorge Mendes, recently issued an apology after being fined €450,000 due to being in possession of two illegal weapons (a knuckeduster and a taser), claiming they arrived in a ‘mystery box’ he ordered online.
Adeyemi has six goals and three assists to his name this season, and has either started or come off the bench in every one of Dortmund's Bundesliga games. He lasted an hour against Gladbach on Friday but appeared none too happy about being withdrawn by manager Niko Kovac.
Sporting director Sebastian Kehl intervened when Adeyemi attempted to walk straight down the tunnel. Speaking to Sky Germany after the game (via Yahoo), Kehl explained the situation in more detail while confirming a fine was incoming.
“I told him: He’s not going to the locker room, he’s sitting there,“ Kehl said. ”The substitution was totally justified. Karim didn’t play well. He will be punished for it. I don’t want to see that reaction and neither does the coach or anyone else. It’s not right, and Karim knows that too.
“We’ve discussed this issue intensively with the team in recent weeks. If a player is unhappy, he can express it in the locker room or in the next day’s training session.“
Kovac, meanwhile, said the substitution was performance-based and might even have happened earlier. "I could have made the substitution at halftime, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to give him another chance,” the Croatian said.
Niko Kovac at a Borussia Dortmund press conference
Niko Kovac has spoken about Adeyemi's situation
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Dortmund led early against Gladbach through Julian Brandt but had to wait until the final minute for Maximilian Beier to make the points safe. It means Kovac's side sit second heading into the winter break, albeit still some way adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.
“I’m very happy that we won. At the end of the day, it was deserved," Kovac said. "We only allowed Gladbach one dangerous chance and missed one or two really good chances ourselves.
"We started well, but then didn’t do so well in the last 15 minutes of the first half. Gladbach came back a bit then. In the second half, it was an open game. We have to continue to work hard, stay focused, work together with the ball, but also against the ball. Then this team definitely have what it takes to finish in the top four.”
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