Who is Karim Adeyemi, Borussia Dortmund's new Germany international striker?

bundesliga.com takes a look at Dortmund's recently recruited striker set to fill the boots of the departing Erling Haaland...

Karim Adeyemi

Age: 20

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Position: Centre-forward

Country: Germany (three caps/ one goal)

Key stats

Adeyemi was born in Munich on 18 January 2002 and, following two years at first club TSV Forstenried, he was snapped up by Bayern for their academy at just eight-years-old in 2010. Things didn't quite work out for Adeyemi at the FC Bayern Campus, however, and he made the move to SpVgg Unterhaching, a suburb in the south of Munich, two years later. He registered 20 goals in 28 appearances in the Unterhaching youth sides before Red Bull Salzburg came calling in the summer of 2018. Adeyemi was immediately loaned to Salzburg sister club Liefering in the second-tier, where he posted 15 goals and 12 assists in 35 appearances across three spells at the Untersberg-Arena.

After receiving Germany's prestigious Fritz-Walter Medal as the brightest U17 player in the country in 2019, a prize previously won at the same age by the likes of Timo Werner, Leon Goretzka, Emre Can and Mario Götze, among others, he began making an impact in the Salzburg first team. Adeyemi contributed one goal and four assists from 12 senior outings in 2019/20 and followed that up with nine goals and 12 assists from 42 appearances in 2020/21, serving notice of his gifts as one of the continent's brightest up-and-coming forwards.

The Munich native has continued to improve and in the first half of 2021/22, chipped in with 18 goals and seven assists in 30 games in all competitions, including three and two respectively in six UEFA Champions League appearances.

Plays a bit like: Paulo Dybala

The Argentinian superstar may be nearly 10 years Adeyemi's senior, but they are cut from the same cloth in terms of playing style. Both are left-footed, attack-minded forwards, as much at ease dribbling past opponents on the flank as they are taking aim at goal. Whatever they do, they're almost impossible to stop.

Did you know?

Adeyemi is fast. Really fast. The forward says he has clocked 3.60 seconds doing a 30-metre sprint, a split that not even world record holder Usain Bolt can match. The Jamaican icon was measured at 3.78 seconds for the first 30 metres of his record-setting 100-metre dash.

While it would certainly make for a fascinating spectacle to see them in a foot race, one thing is certain: "Speed is my main strength," says Adeyemi.

What they're saying

"Karim is a highly talented, young Germany international, whose incredible pace and finishing ability will help our attacking play." - Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc

"Karim has shown he can be ice-cold in front of goal and that he plays with lots of self-confidence. He's still got lots of work to do, but he does his thing very well." - Germany coach Hansi Flick

"I'm happy about my debut - with one goal straight away, that makes it all the more beautiful." - Adeyemi after his goalscoring debut for Germany

"Karim has almost everything a striker needs. His quality and speed are incredible. Everyone sees he has massive potential. His attitude will determine what comes out of it." - Red Bull Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle

About the clubs Borussia Dortmund

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