Al Ahly is blocking Hamza Abdel Karim’s move to Barcelona in the upcoming winter transfer window. The Egyptian club is seeking to maximize its profit from the sale of the 17-year-old, something the Catalan club’s current offer does not provide.
Barcelona submitted an official offer to Al Ahly for Abdel Karim approximately three weeks ago. Although Mahmoud El Khatib’s administration promised the player they would allow him to move to Europe in January, they are now obstructing the transfer, or more precisely, halting his move to Barcelona, according to the newspaper “Sport.”
Abdel Karim’s first choice is to join Barcelona and no other club. Al Ahly claims that the offer from Barça does not meet their expectations, while the club has received higher offers from Sporting Lisbon of Portugal, Lyon of France, and German giants Bayern Munich.
Al Ahly wants to sell Abdel Karim for a substantial fee, and there are some voices within the club calling for him to stay and be a regular starter for the first team. This has created some hesitation in the final decision, but it is certain that Barcelona’s initial offer has already been rejected.
Despite interest from many European clubs in the Egyptian star, he remains committed to Barcelona. The Catalan club also wants him as their first winter signing, with the intention of him immediately joining the reserve team to prepare him for a move to the first team next year at the latest.
Abdel Karim, for his part, is leveraging the fact that his contract expires in just 18 months. Therefore, if he isn’t sold this winter, his transfer fee next summer will be significantly reduced. Furthermore, he could leave for free in the summer of 2027, leaving Al Ahly with no financial benefit.
It is expected that Al-Ahly will eventually yield to Hamza Abdel Karim’s wishes and return to negotiations with Barcelona, who want to sign him for a small amount with a clause allowing the Egyptian club to obtain a percentage that may reach 25% in the event of the young player’s future sale.
