Hansi Flick has made it clear that Barcelona are still assessing Karim Adeyemi’s place in the squad after a debut he felt fell short of the standard expected. The forward featured against Birmingham City just eight days after completing his move from Borussia Dortmund, and Flick was candid in his view of what followed.

“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 summarized. “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.”

Adeyemi has arrived to add depth on the flanks, in a similar way to Anthony Gordon, but the routes to regular minutes are different. While Gordon could eventually stand in for Raphinha on the left, Adeyemi faces a much tougher task on the right because Lamine Yamal occupies that role. His most realistic work is expected to come in less demanding La Liga fixtures, especially those placed between Champions League weeks, along with Copa del Rey ties. A sustained run would likely depend on injury to the teenager.

That makes the need for immediate impact all the more important when Adeyemi does get opportunities. Barcelona’s recent standard in that backup role was shaped by Marcus Rashford, whose 28 goals and assists in all competitions proved valuable whenever Yamal or Raphinha were unavailable. Even so, reports late last season suggested the Catalans still wanted more from him without the ball.

A permanent move for Rashford never made enough financial sense when Gordon was available on a similar annual cost, and the 28-year-old has already accepted that he will not be back at Camp Nou for 2026-27 now that Adeyemi has also arrived. Even so, his spell appears to have left an impression on Flick.

Rodri’s future has become a major talking point after Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were both linked with the Manchester City midfielder in a new report.

The Spain international’s standing has only grown since the summer, when he said: “We’ll see after the World Cup.” He then backed that up with a Golden Ball-winning role as captain of Spain in North America, further strengthening his reputation as one of the game’s leading midfield controllers.

Manchester City are still keen to keep him and have an extension offer in place. Even so, Rodri is believed to be considering his options and may be waiting for a “dream” move to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have been looking for a successor to Toni Kroos, but their interest in the Madrid-born midfielder has taken time to develop.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Real Madrid had finally decided to explore a move. Now, according to RMC Sport, they could be forced into a wider fight for his signature.

The same report states that Paris Saint-Germain “have made initial contact” over a possible transfer. A deal for the former Atlético Madrid midfielder was not previously regarded as a priority, but is now viewed as an “opportunity” in the market.

Barcelona have also “entered the race,” with the La Liga champions said to have contacted Rodri’s representatives after Frenkie de Jong returned from the World Cup with torn knee ligaments.

City, for their part, want to keep the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner for as long as possible. RMC even claims they would prefer to lose Rodri on a free transfer in a year’s time rather than sell him this summer.

No formal club-to-club offer has been made yet, but the midfielder’s position is clear: the decision now sits with him. If he tells City he wants to leave, the club are unlikely to block him given his age, contract situation and years of service.

Arsenal remain a watching party in the Julián Álvarez transfer saga, keeping tabs while Barcelona lead the chase. Álvarez has signalled a preference for the Catalans, describing them as his “dream” destination and, during the World Cup, saying “it’s in everyone’s best interest for him to leave Atlético this summer.”

Atlético Madrid have resisted Barcelona’s advances, rejecting the opening bid, attacking the Catalans on social media and filing legal complaints against the La Liga champions. The club do not want to sell the striker in an ideal world. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed their original offer remains on the table and reports indicate an improved bid could follow the World Cup, though Laporta cautioned their approach is not “unlimited”.

Should Barcelona withdraw, Arsenal could move from observer to primary suitor. The Gunners are reportedly monitoring developments closely and are prepared to capitalise on any shift in the market. That posture aligns with the club’s wider summer activity. Arsenal strengthened with Piero Hincapié and backup goalkeeper Illan Meslier so far. Leandro Trossard’s permanent exit to Beşiktaş has been completed, and Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis is linked as a possible replacement for the Belgian.

Other reported approaches remain unresolved. Interest in Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimarães has stalled, and there have been no fresh updates on Arsenal’s reported pursuit of Morgan Rogers or Bradley Barcola. Andrea Berta, Arsenal’s sporting director, previously held the same role at Atlético and was in post when Álvarez arrived from Manchester City in the summer of 2024.

Arsenal won the Premier League title for the first time in over two decades and that success has shaped expectations of their summer business. Whether their link to Álvarez turns into a full-scale push depends on Barcelona’s actions and Atlético’s response. For now, Arsenal are combining patience with readiness, willing to spend to defend the title if the opportunity arises.