Manchester United make contact with super-agent Jorge Mendes; 23-year-old winger on the radar

Manchester United are looking to prise away unsettled star Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund

Manchester United look ready to intensify their winter transfer window plans as they move for Karim Adeyemi, and the fresh claim from Sport Bild about talks opening with Jorge Mendes has made the story feel more concrete.

The development arrives at a moment when Dortmund and the winger sit in a tense position, and each new detail adds more pressure to an already strained situation. Meanwhile, Adeyemi continues to discuss a new contract with Dortmund, but he insists on inserting a release clause before signing anything, and this point has been turning every meeting into a stand-off.

What’s the stance of Dortmund?

The Dortmund board does not want to have such an option, and this particular deadlock is raising doubts about the future of the 23-year-old winger in Germany. Meanwhile, important figures inside the club feel that both parties are a long way away from coming to a middle ground, and they are acknowledging the elephant in the room.

Manchester United are looking to prise away unsettled star Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund.
The winger has clashed with his coach multiple times this season over tactical instructions, discipline, and playing time.

Furthermore, whispers about a fractured relationship between Adeyemi and manager Niko Kovac keep circulating, and they affect the wider picture. The winger has argued with his coach over roles, discipline, and minutes, and those clashes have created clear tension.

Even so, he still displays his positive traits and direct threat on the field, collecting three goals and three assists from 14 outings, which explains why United continue to monitor him with rising interest.

Do the Red Devils need to spend on Adeyemi?

Manchester United are thinking about the idea of moving for Adeyemi, but the possible need feels uncertain, and the hesitation grows once you look at how the squad already shapes up. Of course, Adeyemi offers breathtaking pace, strong dribbling skills, and clever movement through half-spaces, and he drives forward with a directness that unsettles defenders, though he frequently drifts between strong bursts of form and silent stretches that frustrate coaches. Moreover, his decision-making and temperament still need refinement, which adds to the doubt.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils packed their attack with heavy spending on Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha in the summer. So, the club must now focus on patching their midfield and defence, areas that continue to look thin across a long season. United have been linked with names like Carlos Baleba and Jarrad Branthwaite, who are more important at this point.

However, the conversation always circles back to the wide roles, and this is where someone like Antoine Semenyo enters the picture, because he brings a straightforward combination of work rate, physicality, and reliability that suits Amorim’s plans.

Even so, pricing Semenyo away remains difficult, which leaves the club assessing whether Adeyemi’s pace and flexibility make another risk worth taking in positions they have already stocked. In truth, the 23-year-old German winger would add depth rather than change much, and United might be wiser concentrating on strengthening the spine instead of adding another winger who mirrors qualities they already have.