Liverpool-linked Adeyemi not on the move in January, insists Salzburg director

Karim Adeyemi will not be leaving Salzburg in January despite an explosive start to the season, according the Austrian club’s sporting director Christoph Freund.

The 19-year-old forward has long been touted as a potential star of the future, having originally been in the Bayern Munich academy as a child before being let go and joining Unterhaching.

It was there that he attracted the interest of numerous foreign clubs and he ultimately picked Salzburg, with Chelsea among those he turned down, and the move has so far gone well.

After an impressive 18 months on loan at Salzburg’s sister club Liefering in the second tier, Adeyemi got his chance at the Red Bull Arena early last year as he played 10 Austrian Bundesliga games before the end of the season.

Then in 2020-21, his playing time increased again with 29 appearances, and he has really kicked on this term, the teenager’s 11 league starts the same he was given last season as he has become a central figure.

Adeyemi’s 10 league goals is three more than anyone else in the Austrian Bundesliga this term, while he has also got three in the Champions League – only four players (including Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah) have more.

A lively and technically gifted striker who likes to run at defenders, with his 60 dribble attempts the most of anyone in Austria’s top flight this season, it is understandable that many clubs are reportedly keen on bringing him in.

Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool are among those to have been mentioned, but Freund doubts any transfer will occur before the end of the season.

“Karim will finish the season with us,” Freund told Sky Austria. “He should fill the role he has right now for the whole season.

“That is clearly the main focus in Karim’s head, and also in ours. I don’t know what would have to happen, what scenario would have to occur, for Karim to not finish the season with us.

“He is on the right track and enjoys playing. That fits in well here.”

Adeyemi’s form this season has seen him break into Germany’s senior national team as well, with the talented forwarded playing three World Cup qualifiers and scoring his first goal in September’s 6-0 win over Armenia.

It is reported that Salzburg would demand at least €30million for Adeyemi, who is contracted to the club until June 2024.