Barcelona new signing will not get his preferred shirt number due to La Liga regulations

FC Barcelona have secured the signing of Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth €22 million plus €7 million in add-ons.

The 24-year-old forward has been in Catalonia for a week now, and has completed his medicals, waiting for some bureaucratic issues to be sorted out before he can sign his contract and the transfer is announced officially.

Once that is out of the way, fans will be eager to see the shirt number that Adeyemi wil be wearing at Barcelona.

Adeyemi wanted #27

According to SPORT, Adeyemi had hoped to wear the No. 27 shirt at Barcelona.

It is a number he associates with important moments early in his career and one that has accompanied him through several stages of his development, making it his first choice for his new chapter at the club.

Adeyemi wanted No. 27. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

However, the German forward only recently discovered that this would not be possible.

La Liga rules prevent the choice

La Liga regulations state that players registered with the first team can only wear squad numbers 1 through 25.

Numbers 26 and above are reserved for players registered with the reserve team or those who have not yet been officially registered as first-team members.

As a result, Adeyemi will have to choose from the available numbers within the permitted range.

It is a rule that has affected Barcelona players before. Roony Bardghji, for example, initially wore the No. 28 shirt while awaiting his first-team registration before later changing to an eligible number.

Waiting for the official announcement

Adeyemi continues to move closer to becoming an official Barcelona player.

The German international visited the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Tuesday, accompanied by club security, as he has not yet received an official club vehicle because his transfer has not been formally completed.

Announcement imminent. (Photo by Leon Kügeler/Getty Images)

For the same reason, he has not yet been able to train alongside his new teammates.

Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund are still finalising the exchange of documentation required to complete the transfer.

Only minor administrative details remain, but the club is determined to ensure every document is signed before making the announcement.

As things stand, Barcelona plan on making Adeyemi’s signing official today with the plan being to formally present him to the fans and the media tomorrow, Thursday.