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Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick expressed concerns over new arrival Karim Adeyemi following a debut performance against Birmingham City that was "not that good," while also admitting that Marcus Rashford is already being "missed" by the squad.
Adeyemi featured in the opening 45 minutes against Birmingham, with the game finishing 2–2 after each side found the net once per half. While young Egyptian attacker Hamza Abdelkarim seized his opportunity by netting both of Barcelona's goals, Adeyemi still has plenty of ground to cover.
Having played just eight days after officially completing his move from Borussia Dortmund, Adeyemi remains in the very early phases of his preseason preparation. Flick is not overly alarmed by what he witnessed in England's West Midlands, as he has already seen more promising displays from his fellow German in training sessions.
"Karim, some things he did were not that good. I think he has more potential to show, but he is still in the first week of training so that's normal," Flick noted. "I've seen a better Karim in training with his speed and finishing, but he has a lot of potential and can give us a lot."
What Is Karim Adeyemi's Role at Barcelona?
Adeyemi, much like Anthony Gordon, has brought additional depth to Barcelona's wide positions.
However, while Gordon could eventually step into Raphinha's shoes on the left—with the Brazilian turning 30 before the close of 2026 and potentially still a viable transfer option—Adeyemi's chances of ever cementing a regular starting berth on the right are limited, given that his direct competition is none other than Lamine Yamal.
His primary role will likely involve giving Yamal a rest during less critical La Liga fixtures, especially those squeezed between Champions League matchdays, as well as Copa del Rey encounters. Only if the teenage sensation suffers an injury is Adeyemi likely to enjoy a sustained run in the starting lineup.
That means when his opportunity does arrive, both Flick and Barça will need him to deliver.
Barcelona Will 'Miss' Marcus Rashford
The benchmark for this type of backup role behind Barcelona's first-choice wingers was established by Rashford, whose combined tally of 28 goals and assists across all competitions proved valuable whenever either Yamal or Raphinha were sidelined. It wasn't always seamless, however, as reports toward the end of last season suggested the Catalan club still wanted more from the England international in terms of his off-the-ball contributions.
Making Rashford's deal permanent didn't add up financially when Gordon was attainable for a comparable annual outlay, and the 28-year-old has openly acknowledged he will not be returning to Camp Nou for the 2026–27 campaign now that Adeyemi has also joined the fold.
Nevertheless, he appears to have left a meaningful mark on Flick.
"What I can say about Marcus is I appreciate working with him a lot," the manager said.
"Sometimes it's not always that you do know what happens with players who are on loan. I think our situation is not easy for that. He's a fantastic player and a fantastic person. I think also the team miss him. I will miss him. But it's life, this is what we have to accept."