The electric £70m winger Man Utd may sign this January - and whether it would be a good dealplaceholder image
The electric £70m winger Man Utd may sign this January - and whether it would be a good deal | AFP via Getty Images
Manchester United have been linked with a bid for an exciting but inconsistent winger - would he be a good buy in the January transfer window?
Depending on which reports you choose to believe, Manchester United may or may not have opened talks over a January deal for a thrilling winger who would add some depth and directness to their front three – Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi.
Sources in the German media claim that United are already in talks with the 23-year-old’s representatives, but those stories have been denied in other parts of the press, leaving the picture entirely unclear. Adeyemi could be at the top of United’s list of transfer targets, or he may be far from their thoughts. So what is the situation, how much might a deal cost United if it takes place, and how would he fit into Ruben Amorim’s system?
Will Manchester United sign Karim Adeyemi this January?
The more excitable version of events seems to start with German tabloid Bild, who report that United have been in talks with Adeyemi’s agent, Jorge Mendes, ahead of a potential bid – with Inter Milan also said to be suitors for the winger’s signature.
On the other hand, Fabrizio Romano believes that no such discussions have taken place, and that while United are looking for a player who matches his profile, Adeyemi is not under negotiation as it stands.
Clearly, one side of the argument is entirely wrong, but it’s not easy to discern which, or to figure out just how deep United’s interest in Adeyemi runs. He could be one name on a lengthy shortlist, or he could be their first priority.
Either way, he probably won’t come cheap, and there is every chance that Adeyemi remains with Dortmund for a little while yet. Negotiations over an extension to his current contract, which expires in 2027, are ongoing, with the sticking point (according to Bild) being whether or not a release clause – likely to be worth around €80m (£70m) – is included.
If Adeyemi and Dortmund are unable to agree a new deal, then that figure sets a maximum price point for negotiations this January, but it’s also a number which is likely to come down over the summer when the German enters the final year of his deal.
The economics of the situation would suggest that a summer transfer was considerably more likely than a January move either way – either he signs a new contract and clubs are forced to wait for the release clause to kick in, or he doesn’t and likely becomes much cheaper if his suitors can hold off for just a few more months.
From United’s perspective, a £70m deal is probably unaffordable over the winter given their PSR position (comfortable enough but with relatively limited short-term headroom), which further lends credence to the idea that a summer move would be rather more probable – and, as such, credence to Romano’s side of the reporting. United are only likely to make a move imminently if they believe that Adeyemi will be available for less or that they can structure a deal in such a way that it can be heavily amortised.
Another reason for United to hesitate is provided by a very recent brush with the law. Over the last few days, Adeyemi was convicted for possession of illegal weapons – knuckledusters and a stun gun – and fined €450,000 (£397,000) as a result, although he avoided a custodial sentence.
Adeyemi, for his part, described the incident as a “huge mistake” and claimed that he had ordered a ‘mystery box’ from a seller on TikTok unaware that it contained weapons. Whatever the truth, it may prompt interested teams to do some background research on the player before splashing out.
Still, the suggestion is that United hold at least some degree of interest in the winger, and may well make a move at some stage – so how would he fit into Amorim’s tactics, and would he be a good fit at Old Trafford?
Would Adeyemi be a good signing for Manchester United?
Ask a dozen Dortmund fans about Adeyemi, and you would probably get a dozen different responses. Electric but inconsistent, threatening and frustrating, Adeyemi has a relatively unique skillset that would change United’s angles of attack, but it’s not immediately clear whether he suits Amorim’s style of play.
Perhaps Adeyemi’s greatest strength is his rare combination of pace and ball-carrying quality. A lethal dribbler who has been clocked as the fastest player in Bundesliga history, he has the raw ability to carve defences open and exploit open space with ease.
He’s also relatively productive, with seven goals and six assists in the league last season, but doesn’t always make the best of the space he can create for himself – his passing is poor and he creates far fewer chances for others than he might given the positions he finds himself in.
He’s also somewhat ineffective out of possession and his contributions when pressing or tracking back can be rather limited, although it isn’t a question of his work rate, which is more than high enough. Sometimes he will dominate matches and score goals other players simply couldn’t – other times, he will run around aimlessly without making much of a dent.
There’s no question that his raw pace and ball-carrying skill would bring something different to United’s attack, however. Positionally, he has played a broadly similar role to that of Bryan Mbeumo over the last two seasons but can play on the left as well and could easily mirror Mbeumo’s role on the other flank if required – and Adeyemi is a genuinely two-footed player, which helps in that regard. With Amorim moving his supporting forwards wider this season after pushing Bruno Fernandes into a deeper role, Adeyemi should fit the broad brushstrokes of the manager’s system if he was signed.
On the other hand, his playing style and Amorim’s priorities may not mesh precisely. United’s coach doesn’t encourage a high rate of dribbling (United are 11th in the Premier League for attempts this season) but that may be a reflection of the players at his disposal more than his preferences – and United do play a high number of direct passes (only Wolves have tried more long balls) and Adeyemi’s speed should make a direct attacking system more effective on paper.
Adeyemi would be a very interesting signing – something a little different which opens up new ways for United to get at defences, but also a player who will have bad games and who may require some adjustment in order to accommodate in the starting line-up. What he certainly wouldn’t be is boring to have around. All we have to do now is wait to find out whether Manchester United really do want to sign him after all.
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