Karim Adeyemi appears to have ruled out a January move away from Red Bull Salzburg, speaking to Sky Austria amid reported interest from Premier League trio Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Most clubs would be paralysed by fear at the prospect of losing their star striker. But not Salzburg.
After all, this is a club who sold Erling Haaland to Borussia Dortmund two years ago and then discovered Patson Daka.
And, after Daka joined Leicester City in a £23 million deal last June, Adeyemi has stepped into his boots, scoring for fun at a side who have a knack of discovering brilliant young goal-getters.
Sport1 reported in November that Antonio Conte’s Spurs and Eddie Howe’s Newcastle had made approaches for Adeyemi.
The Munich-born 19-year-old is exactly the sort of player Newcastle appear to be prioritising in the PIF era; young, affordable and blessed with potential by the bucketload.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are also in the race, as reported by BILD.
Which Premier League club is Karim Adeyemi most likely to join?
Adeyemi has all-but ruled out a January departure, however. He has no plans to walk away from a Salzburg side who qualified for the Champions League knockout stages for the first time recently.
“Nothing is decided yet and I’ll be at Salzburg next year,” says Adeyemi, who became the youngest player to score a goal for the German national team since a baby-faced Mario Gotze in September.
“That’s where my focus is, absolutely. My head is here at Salzburg and I’m looking forward to the Champions League.”
Adeyemi scored a 44-minute hat-trick in Salzburg’s 5-0 thrashing of WSG Tirol on Sunday, taking his tally to 18 goals in 28 games in all competitions.
According to BILD, Borussia Dortmund have agreed personal terms with Adeyemi but are yet to meet Salzburg’s £34 million asking price.
Though if the teenager can emulate Haaland’s impact at the Signal Iduna Park, that £34 million fee would look a bargain before long.
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