Adeyemi names Messi as Barcelona icon, cites Flick as key to move

German forward Karim Adeyemi officially joined Barcelona on Thursday, signing a contract that will keep him at the club until June 30, 2031. Adeyemi immediately identified Argentine legend Lionel Messi as his ultimate role model.

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For me, Messi is the best player who has ever existed. It was always Messi.

"For me, Messi is the best player who has ever existed. It was always Messi," Adeyemi stated, also mentioning his enjoyment of watching Ronaldinho and other past Barcelona stars. He described Barcelona as a "historic club."

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He is one of the reasons why I am here today. From the first moment we had very positive conversations; I trusted him from the first second and he clearly conveyed to me what this club needs, what people expect, and what the team requires.

The 24-year-old attacker is also looking forward to potentially playing alongside young talent Lamine Yamal, whom he called a "differential footballer." Adeyemi acknowledged the need to improve his Spanish but expressed confidence in his language skills.

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Now I can say that I play for the biggest club in the world. It is an honor for me and I want to show the team, the coach, and everyone who supports Barcelona that I am here to win and help the team.

Coach Hansi Flick was a significant factor in Adeyemi's decision. "He is one of the reasons why I am here today," Adeyemi said, adding that Flick's clear vision for the club and team resonated with him. Adeyemi is ready for the challenge at what he considers "the biggest club in the world" and aims to help the team win trophies, including the Champions League.

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The 'Champions' is something very big and we want to win it, but it's not the only thing. Every game is important for this club. In the end, we want to win trophies and my personal goal is to give my best to try to win everything.