Man Utd 'fall behind' Premier League rivals in Karim Adeyemi transfer race as January asking price revealed

Manchester United have reportedly fallen behind one of their Premier League rivals in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi in 2026.

Ruben Amorim is believed to be keen to add the former Red Bull Salzburg starlet to his ranks, and talks are already said to have been held over a potential deal next year.

Adeyemi has struggled to show his best form for Niko Kovac's side this season, registering just three goals and three assists in 14 games amid intense competition for attacking spots.

Maximilian Beier and club captain Julian Brandt can also operate behind central striker Serhou Guirassy, and Adeyemi will enter the final 18 months of his contract when January rolls around.

Dortmund could therefore find themselves under pressure to sell the 23-year-old in either January or the summer if he does not commit to fresh terms, and a switch to the Premier League has unsurprisingly been mooted for Adeyemi.

Man United facing Arsenal competition for Karim Adeyemi?

Now, TEAMtalk claims that Man United will face competition from Arsenal to land the Germany international, whom the Gunners have already leapfrogged the Red Devils in the race for.

An exit from the Signal Iduna Park is looking increasingly likely for Adeyemi, who took issue to being substituted in Dortmund's 1-0 Bundesliga win over Koln on October 25, letting his anger out by aggressively throwing a water bottle.

Following the incident, talks between Adeyemi and Dortmund over a new deal have supposedly stalled, as the German giants are not prepared to include the €80m (£70.7m) release clause that the 23-year-old wants in any renewal.

Arsenal are said to have made contact with agent Jorge Mendes to gauge Adeyemi's interest in a move, and the Germany international is understood to favour a switch to Emirates over Old Trafford, even if he would not be an out-and-out starter in North London.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta allegedly views Adeyemi as the ideal player to compete with Noni Madueke for the role of Bukayo Saka's backup - and an ideal 'upgrade' on Reiss Nelson - but he would also be an option on the left-wing for the Premier League leaders.

How much will Karim Adeyemi cost in January?

With no new deal in the pipeline, Dortmund have reportedly named their January asking price for the 23-year-old, whom they are demanding €70m (£61.8m) for in the January transfer window.

The 2023-24 Champions League finalists supposedly have no intention of accepting any offers lower than that amount over the winter, but should he approach the last 12 months of his deal in the summer, they would be content with a €60m (£53m) sale.

Barcelona and Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in Adeyemi, but Arsenal are currently at the head of the queue, thanks largely to their 'pathway' to guaranteed first-team minutes under Arteta.

Adeyemi has produced a total of 29 goals and 22 assists in 121 appearances for Dortmund since joining from Salzburg in 2022, while he has been capped on 11 occasions by the German national team.