Adeyemi's Transfer Tango: Dortmund Star Opens Talks with Inter and Man United

Adeyemi on Inter, United, and Dortmund’s Negotiations

A German press report published on Wednesday indicates that Karim Adeyemi, the German international and Borussia Dortmund winger, is attracting interest from Inter Milan and Manchester United.

Adeyemi’s Dortmund contract runs until the summer of 2027, but renewal talks stalled after the player insisted on a release clause being part of any deal.

According to Bild, Adeyemi has begun weighing the offers on the table as he contemplates a departure from Dortmund in the summer of 2026.

The newspaper added that the 23-year-old has decided to leave at the end of the current season, a move Dortmund could accept to avoid losing him for free in 2027.

Adeyemi recently signed with the high-profile agent Jorge Mendes, signaling a genuine intent to move away from Dortmund.

The German outlet also stated that Mendes has held direct talks with Inter and Manchester United regarding a potential transfer.

Adeyemi is comfortable playing on both wings and as an out-and-out striker.

This season, he has appeared for Borussia Dortmund in 19 matches, scoring 3 goals and contributing 5 assists.

Controversies, Apology, and Comeback

A Major Controversy

Adeyemi commented on a hefty fine for illegal weapon possession, and Lars Ricken, Dortmund’s managing director, spoke about how the club handled the matter.

Today, before training, there was a discussion between Ricken, sporting director Sebastian Kiel, and Adeyemi regarding the headlines surrounding the international winger.

The 23-year-old winger was ruled to pay a fine of €450,000 for weapon possession.

Ricken Defends Adeyemi

Ricken told Sky Sports that the club took the issue seriously, spoke with Adeyemi in detail about his conduct, and that he deeply regrets the mistake. He added that Adeyemi was asked to commit to not repeating such errors and that the club trusts him to honor that commitment.

“We’ve assured Karim Adeyemi of our full support and have taken steps to ensure he won’t repeat this. We trust him to adhere,” Ricken stated.

“Box of Mystery”

Adeyemi responded, saying: “You’ve likely seen the headlines about me in recent days. It hasn’t been easy to talk about: early in 2024, acting on impulse, I ordered what’s called a ‘Box of Mystery’ online. It included items not permitted under weapons laws. After several months, the package was delivered, and it happened to be unopened by the police.”

He continued: “Nevertheless, it was a grave mistake, and I am deeply sorry. I know I am under the spotlight and have a role to model the correct behavior. I didn’t always fulfill that role fully, and that hurts. I’ve learned from it and promise to avoid such mistakes in the future. Thank you to everyone who continues to trust and support me.”

Return of the Captain

After around six months out due to injury, Emre Can returned to the field. In Dortmund’s away Champions League match at Manchester City, he came on as a late substitute, and three days later he started against Hamburg and dominated duels, posting a 90% win rate in challenges—a strong stat.

In an interview with Dortmund TV, Can spoke about the difficulty of the period, the people who supported him, and the goals he has set for himself and the team.

“I’m fine, honestly not at my best yet, but I’m better than a few months ago. After the Hamburg game, I felt some pains still two days later, but today I’m fine.”

He added: “Returning to football after a long layoff isn’t easy. I felt that after the game. The break came at the right time because I’m not in a position to play every three days in the near future. I must return and rebuild my rhythm and confidence in my body.”

On his mindset over the past months, he noted: “It hasn’t been a nice time; mentally you must stay very strong. I faced setbacks in rehab, so it wasn’t easy, but I remained positive. Our medical team and rehab staff, along with younger teammates, helped a lot. I worked with Schlotterbeck and Jude Bellingham too; they were important for me.”

Dortmund sits third in the Bundesliga with 21 points after 10 rounds—six wins, three draws, one defeat—scoring 16 and conceding 7, one point behind Leipzig and seven behind leaders Bayern Munich.

As the international break ends, Dortmund will host Stuttgart on Saturday in the Bundesliga and Villarreal on Tuesday in the Champions League.

Humourous note: if this transfer saga were a sniper shot, it would be a precise strike—straight through the press conference room window and into the release clause. Punchline two: the only thing sharper than Adeyemi’s footwork may be Mendes’ negotiating pen—stays hottest when the market cools down.