Hansi Flick has decided where Karim Adeyemi fits in Barcelona’s attack

Hansi Flick has decided where Karim Adeyemi fits in Barcelona’s attack Karim Adeyemi can play through the middle. His career record shows that clearly.  Yet after several weeks of pre-season under Hansi Flick, one detail has stood out: the manager has not once turned to the German as his striker. That appears to be a deliberate choice. With Barcelona still searching for a new centre-forward, Flick has used the club’s friendly matches to test several solutions in the No. 9 role.  Five players, two from the academy, have been given opportunities there, but Adeyemi has been absent from that list every time. According to SPORT , the German coach sees Adeyemi as a winger and, unless Barcelona are left with no other option, does not intend to use him as the central reference in attack. Five striker experiments reveal Flick’s plan for Adeyemi Barcelona’s pre-season has offered several clues about how Flick wants to set up his attack. Adeyemi will not play centrally under Flick. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images) The search for a striker remains active, particularly with the club still looking for a top-level solution to lead the line.  Flick himself acknowledged after the Gamper Trophy that Barcelona “are looking for” a centre-forward, while also making clear that he has complete faith in Deco’s work. Until a new signing arrives, however, the coach has had to work with the players already available. During the four pre-season matches, Flick experimented with five different options in the striker position.  Hamza Abdulkarim, Raphinha and Anthony Gordon were among the senior team players used through the middle, while two from the academy were utilised as well. Adeyemi, despite having experience as a centre-forward, was not given the same opportunity because Flick wants to use his pace, direct running and ability to attack space from the wing rather than placing him between opposition centre-backs. Barcelona’s striker search keeps Adeyemi out wide Barcelona’s interest in signing a centre-forward is another important part of Flick’s thinking. Adeyemi will only play on the wings. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images) If Adeyemi were viewed as a long-term solution in the middle, the club’s need to bring in another striker would not be quite so obvious. Instead, Barcelona’s sporting department continues to explore the market for a specialist forward. That leaves Flick with several alternatives for Sunday’s La Liga opener against Elche. Dani Olmo has experience operating as a false No. 9, while Fermin Lopez has also shown a willingness to play further forward.  Raphinha and Anthony Gordon have been tested in central areas during pre-season as well. All of those options have been considered before Adeyemi, who has primarily operated on the right wing, the same side where Lamine Yamal would normally feature in Barcelona’s strongest XI.  He has also received minutes on the left, but the right flank appears to be the position Flick has in mind for him.