Barcelona’s management is preparing to reward Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim after he successfully seized the opportunities given to him with the first team, establishing himself as one of the standout gains of the new season’s pre-season preparations.
According to the Jijantes network, the 18-year-old’s performance convinced officials of the need to improve his contractual terms—a move reflecting his transition from a prospect for the future into a viable option manager Hansi Flick can rely on.
Abdelkarim finished pre-season as Barcelona’s top scorer with 4 goals. He scored a brace against Birmingham City, netted against Basel, and scored against his former club, Al Ahly, in the Joan Gamper Trophy, refusing to celebrate out of respect for the club where he developed.
Flick praised the Egyptian striker’s capabilities following the Birmingham match, emphasizing that he executes everything expected of a center-forward. The technical staff was also impressed by his physical strength, off-the-ball movement behind defenders, and clinical left-footed finishing.
The reward planned by Barcelona includes raising Abdelkarim’s buyout clause from €15 million to €150 million, along with a substantial salary increase reflecting his new status within the club and protecting him from interest by other teams.
Abdelkarim is currently under contract until June 2029, after Barcelona activated their option to purchase him from Al Ahly for €1.5 million, plus an additional €5 million in performance-related variables. The management is now working to financially upgrade the terms of this deal.
The Egyptian international scored 6 goals in 11 matches for Barcelona’s youth teams last season, including a hat-trick in a 9-0 victory over Montecarlo, before continuing his development by participating in the World Cup and subsequently joining first-team pre-season training.
Abdelkarim stands a strong chance of earning minutes this season, particularly as he is currently the only natural center-forward in Barcelona’s squad following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, alongside the club’s failure so far to finalize a deal for Julián Álvarez or sign another attacking alternative.
