Barcelona Revive Pursuit of Egyptian Prodigy Hamza Abdelkarim

Barcelona have reignited negotiations with Egyptian giants Al Ahly for the transfer of 18-year-old striker Hamza Abdelkarim, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano. The deal, which had stalled in recent weeks, is now back on track after the Catalan club already secured the player's personal agreement several weeks ago.

Abdelkarim, a highly-rated left-footed forward standing at 1.82m, burst onto the global scene with standout performances for Egypt at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2025, where he earned Player of the Match honors. Fans have dubbed him the potential "Egyptian Haaland" due to his clinical finishing, physical presence, and goal-scoring instinct.

The proposed structure is a loan move to Barça Atlètic during the winter window, with Barcelona holding a €1.5 million option to buy. Add-ons could push the total value up to €5 million, including performance-based bonuses and a percentage of any future sale. This low-risk approach fits Barcelona's current financial strategy, focusing on promising youth talents to bolster their reserve team amid ongoing squad injuries in attack.

Earlier hurdles stemmed from Al Ahly's demands for a contract extension and higher fees, but recent updates indicate these issues have been resolved or are nearing resolution. The move would mark a historic milestone, potentially making Abdelkarim the first Egyptian player in Barcelona's senior or academy setup.As talks progress rapidly, optimism grows that the deal could be finalized soon, giving the young forward a dream platform to develop in one of Europe's top academies.