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Karim Adeyemi described Sebastien Haller’s health scare as “a smack in the face” for Borussia Dortmund – and revealed why Jurgen Klopp influenced his move to the German giants.
Forwards Adeyemi and Haller have joined Dortmund as last season’s Bundesliga runners-up look for a way to cope without Erling Haaland, who left for Manchester City.
However, Haller may be out for some time after medical checks this week discovered a testicular tumour. Haller was with his new club in Switzerland when he complained of feeling unwell at training on Monday, and the 28-year-old has since returned to Germany.
Ivory Coast striker Haller arrived on a four-year deal from Dutch champions Ajax, while Germany international Adeyemi has come to Dortmund from Salzburg.
According to Adeyemi, Dortmund have the resources to battle on without Haller.
“At this point once again all the best to Sebastien,” Adeyemi said. “I think for all of us it was a smack in the face, but I don’t think we have to replace anyone.
“We try to keep playing football and I don’t know, maybe a different formation or someone else up front in attack would help as well. I think in the end we have the quality to play with another forward.”
Dortmund, who face Spanish side Villarreal in a friendly on Friday, will be hoping Haller soon recovers and is able to show his best for the club. Haller was the Eredivisie’s top scorer with 21 goals in 31 games last season, while netting 11 times in eight Champions League matches.
Only Robert Lewandowski (13) and Karim Benzema (15) scored more Champions League goals than Haller, who is returning to German football after previously playing for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Adeyemi has yet to play in the Bundesliga, having left Bayern Munich as a 16-year-old in 2018 to join Salzburg. Now 20, he recalled how he loved watching Dortmund when Klopp, now Liverpool’s manager, was in charge of BVB.
Klopp was Dortmund’s boss from 2008 to 2015, with the young Adeyemi dazzled by a team that twice won the Bundesliga and reached the 2013 Champions League final.
“As a child, I often looked at Dortmund and found the Klopp time very, very formative,” Adeyemi said. “I think I also like the style of play very much. And yes, in the end I drew the line with my family and said that we want to go this way.”
Last season, Adeyemi was joint top scorer in the Austrian Bundesliga with 19 goals, and second overall in goal involvements after adding five assists to that haul.
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