Manchester United had a busy summer reshaping their attack to help cater to Ruben Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system. There were two major outgoings in forward areas, with two academy graduates departing.
Alejandro Garnacho moved on a permanent deal to Chelsea, and Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan with an option to buy.
Of course, the Red Devils needed to sign replacements, with two big-money signings moving to Old Trafford. One of those was Bryan Mbeumo, who has hit the ground running since his move from Brentford.
Matheus Cunha has also shone after his summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
However, United appear not to be done there, with another attacking target lined up.
Latest on Man Utd’s search for a forward
You cannot knock the signings of Mbeumo and Cunha, who have both performed well since moving to Old Trafford. Cameroon star Mbeumo has been particularly impressive, with seven goals and assists in just 12 games for the Red Devils.
Well, INEOS could now look to add to that firepower up front with a move for Borussia Dortmund and Germany forward Karim Adeyemi.
Sky Sports Germany are reporting that the 13-time Premier League champions are ‘in talks’ with his agent, Jorge Mendes, over a potential move for the attacker.
23-year-old Adeyemi will be out of contract in June 2027, and at this stage, it is unclear whether he will extend his stay at the Signal Iduna Park.
This could give United, and other top European clubs, a chance to pounce.
A price is not confirmed should a move materialise, but there is a rumoured release clause of £70.5m in his potential new deal, a fee Dortmund could demand.
Why Man Utd could be targeting Garnacho 2.0
The 2025/26 campaign has been impressive from Adeyemi, who is performing well and putting up a good goals and assists output. Yet, he’s been an important player for Dortmund, showing great versatility by operating on both flanks and as a number nine.
This term, the 11-cap Germany international has found the back of the net three times and assisted three goals, in 14 appearances so far. On top of that, Seb Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic’s German football correspondent, says he thinks this is the “best football of his career.”
Perhaps this impressive form is a continuation of his 2024/25 campaign, by far his most productive in that famous Yellow shirt so far. In 41 appearances, he scored 12 goals and assisted 11, including a famous Champions League hat-trick against Celtic.
If United were to bring Adeyemi to the club, he could be the second coming of Garnacho, with the pair noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.
The Argentine is showing his former club what they’re missing out on by selling him this summer. For Chelsea, Garnacho already has two goals and two assists in ten games.
It may be a sale that will always leave Red Devils fans wondering what could have been. Their former number 17 showed flashes of brilliance for the club, but struggled when Amorim took over.
He managed ten goals and assists under the tutelage of the Portuguese manager, including this stunning strike against Brentford.
It is easy to see how the players are similar. The pair are quick, direct wingers who utilise their pace well, looking to drive at defenders. On top of that, their underlying numbers from this season are similar.
For example, Adeyemi – described as a “pace monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson – averages 1.43 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to Garnacho’s 1.58 key passes each game.
Adeyemi & Garnacho key stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Adeyemi
Garnacho
Goals and assists
0.54
0.79
Key passes
1.43
1.58
Shot-creating actions
4.47
3.15
Take-ons completed
2.32
1.32
Ball recoveries
2.86
2.89
Stats from FBref
Both attackers are versatile forwards who could play as a number 10 or even at wing-back under Amorim. They offer similar creativity in the final third and possess blistering pace, which can hurt defenders.
There is no doubt that £70.5m is a large fee for the German. Yet, Adeyemi could enhance the quality of United’s attack and be the second coming of one of their most exciting academy graduates in recent years.
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