Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Catalans want Karim Adeyemi, club monitoring Ligue 1 ace, and more - November 9, 2024
Barcelona are putting together final preparations ahead of their LaLiga tie against Real Sociedad on Sunday, November 10. The Catalans are leading the title race after 12 games in the league, with 11 wins to their name.
Meanwhile, the Spanish giants have set their sights on Karim Adeyemi. Elsewhere, they are also monitoring a Canadian striker who plays for Lille.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from November 9, 2024.
Barcelona want Karim Adeyemi
Barcelona are planning a swap deal for Karim Adeyemi, according to Fichajes.net. The German forward has a €50 million price tag on his head, but the Catalans are hoping to sweeten the deal by including Ferran Torres in their offer.
Torres is no longer a first-team regular under Hansi Flick at Camp Nou. He's started just six games across competitions this season. The LaLiga giants are ready to let him go and are planning to use him to get their hands on Adeyemi.
The 22-year-old has registered five goals and five assists from eight games across competitions this season for Borussia Dortmund. While Barcelona have an enviable attack at their disposal, they are looking to further upgrade their frontline.
The Catalans have their eyes on Adeyemi for the job but will face competition from Liverpool for the German. Adeyemi's contract with the Bundesliga club runs until 2027.
Catalans monitoring Jonathan David
Barcelona remain interested in Jonathan David, according to Diario Sport. The Canadian striker is in the final year of his contract with Lille and hasn't signed a new deal yet.
The Catalans are laying down succession plans for Robert Lewandowski, who will turn 37 next year. While the Pole has shown no signs of slowing down, he is not expected to continue his golden run forever.
The LaLiga giants have identified David as a candidate to eventually fill Lewandowski's boots at Camp Nou. The prospect of signing the Canadian for free also appeals to Barcelona, but they are likely to face stiff competition for his signature in 2025. The 24-year-old has scored 13 goals and two assists from 18 games across competitions this season for Lille.
Former scout reveals why Barcelona didn't pursue Eden Hazard
Former Barcelona scout Bojan Krkic Sr. has stated that the club rejected the chance to sign Eden Hazard due to his attitude issues. The Belgian first caught the imagination of clubs across the continent during his time with Lille.
Chelsea eventually won the race for his signature in 2012. However, it now appears that the Catalans had their eyes on the player as well during his time with the Ligue 1 club.
Speaking recently, as cited by SPORT, Krkic Sr. insisted that he ruled out a move for Hazard due to his attitude and personality.
"I went to see him against Montpellier. It was August and a player was missing from the warm-up, all in short sleeves and Hazard came out in tracksuits. The team was all together to warm up, he was the other way around; they stretched, and he looked at the stands. He played well, but in delivery and attitude I didn’t like him,” said Krkic Sr.
He continued:
"These types of players, who are very good, have shown me that they have not given results; both when they were my teammates, and when I was a Barça scout. My report was: maximum quality, technically and tactically; but because of attitude and personality, with more details, I ruled him out.”
Hazard was a huge success at Chelsea, but failed to replicate that form after joining Real Madrid in 2019. He eventually retired in 2023.