FC Barcelona secured Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund in a €22 million deal, plus another €7 million in add-ons, but before the 24-year-old forward even officially signs, there’s already a snag with his jersey choice. Adeyemi wanted to rock the No. 27, a number he’s carried through important career moments, a true first choice for his new chapter in Catalonia. But get this, La Liga rules are shutting that down completely.
La Liga’s Wild Rule Just Crushed Adeyemi’s Number Dream
So, what’s the deal? Adeyemi, who’s been in Catalonia for a week and already aced his medicals, just found out he can’t wear his preferred #27. Why? Because La Liga has this wild regulation that says first-team players can *only* wear squad numbers 1 through 25. Anything from 26 upwards is strictly for reserve players or those still waiting for their official first-team registration. It’s a straight-up buzzkill for Adeyemi, forcing him to pick from the smaller, permitted range. This isn’t even new, remember Roony Bardghji? He initially rocked No. 28 while waiting for his first-team papers before having to switch to an eligible number. It’s wild to think a specific number can be so important to a player, and then boom, bureaucracy.
The Paperwork Grind Is Real
Adeyemi is literally still waiting for Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund to finalize the documentation exchange, those minor administrative details. He’s so close, yet still in limbo! He even visited the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Tuesday, but he had to roll up with club security because he hasn’t even received an official club vehicle yet. Talk about awkward! Because of all this paperwork still being sorted, he hasn’t been able to train with his new teammates either. You can just imagine the frustration, right? You’re there, ready to go, medicals done, but the system is just slow-rolling the whole thing.
But here’s the good news, Barcelona fans: the wait is almost over. The club is planning on making Adeyemi’s signing official *today*, Wednesday. Then, get ready to see the man himself formally presented to the fans and media tomorrow, Thursday. That’s when all this number drama and bureaucratic grind finally gets left behind. Everyone will be eager to see which number he ultimately picks, but more importantly, to finally see him in that Barca kit and hitting the pitch with his new squad. The anticipation is through the roof!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply