Karim Adeyemi

Since July 2022, the 21-year-old forward has been under contract with Borussia Dortmund. Previously, he played for Salzburg, and as of June 2023 (the cut-off date for all details), he has appeared in 32 matches for BVB across all competitions, scoring 9 goals and providing 6 assists.

Adeyemi's Impressive Start at BVB

Three-time Austrian champion and cup winner, and top scorer before moving to the Bundesliga: Karim Adeyemi won everything there was to win in Austria during his first three professional years in Salzburg. Additionally, he won the European Championship with Germany's U21 team in 2021. In 2023, he narrowly missed winning the German championship with BVB.

First Season at BVB: A Key Player Despite Injuries

In his first season with BVB, he played in 24 of the 34 Bundesliga matches despite injury breaks. After the winter break, he became a key player, scoring 6 goals and providing 5 assists in 13 league games in 2023. He describes his playing style: "I rely a lot on my speed." On February 4, 2023, he reached a top speed of 36.7 km/h in a match against Freiburg, the highest recorded since data collection began in 2011.

Karim Adeyemi's Early Life and Football Career

Karim Adeyemi was born on January 18, 2002, in Munich. His father is Nigerian, and his mother is Romanian. In addition to football, he played basketball and volleyball as a child. At eight, he joined FC Bayern's U9 team but returned to his first club, TSV Forstenried, less than two years later. From 2012 to 2018, he played in the youth team of SpVgg Unterhaching.

Adeyemi's Breakthrough in Salzburg

Austria's FC Salzburg signed the highly talented 16-year-old striker for a significant transfer fee. "I was a bit scared to leave home but also happy to take the next step," he said in an interview. Concurrently, he played for Salzburg's partner club FC Liefering in Austria's second division, securing a regular spot. In the 2019/20 season, he played in nine of ten matches for Salzburg's U19 team in the UEFA Youth League. On February 20, 2020, he made his professional debut as a substitute in a Europa League away game against Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 2021/22 season, he made his breakthrough, scoring 19 goals in 29 matches and becoming the Bundesliga top scorer. He also scored three times in the UEFA Champions League group stage, helping Salzburg reach the round of 16 for the first time. He left Austria with 33 goals in 91 top-division matches and 15 goals in 35 second-division matches.

Adeyemi's Dream of BVB

"As a little boy, I was fascinated by Dortmund's fast-paced football. So, when I learned of their interest, I quickly decided I wanted to join BVB," said Adeyemi in summer 2022 after signing a contract valid until June 30, 2027.

Karim Adeyemi's Debut and International Success

He has played four times for the German national team (as of June 2023), first on September 5, 2021, scoring in the final minutes of a World Cup qualifier against Armenia. "It's incredible to be here," he said afterward. National coach Hansi Flick noted, "He has shown what he already displayed in Salzburg: he is a confident finisher in the penalty area." He was part of the squad for the 2022 World Cup but did not play.