In just a few short months, Hamza Abdelkarim has transformed from a young striker leaving Al Ahly in search of an opportunity with Barcelona’s U19 side into one of the most promising rising talents at the Catalan club. After establishing his credentials with goals during pre-season, he earned his reward with an official debut for the first team.
This rapid ascension has left Barcelona’s board facing a matter that demands immediate action. Although the 18-year-old Egyptian striker’s contract runs until June 2029, his current buyout clause no longer reflects his growing status or his ability to attract major European suitors.
According to Catalan outlet El Nacional, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has placed Hamza on his radar after being impressed by his pre-season performances, recommending that the French club’s hierarchy track his development closely with a view to a potential approach.
There is currently no official bid or advanced negotiation; the situation remains strictly at the stage of interest and monitoring. However, reports suggest PSG could attempt to exploit the scenario during the winter transfer window if Barcelona fail to amend the player’s contract before January.
Hamza’s buyout clause stands at just €15 million—an accessible fee for Paris Saint-Germain. Consequently, Barcelona are actively working to improve his salary and update his contract, aiming to raise the release clause to approximately €150 million, having signed him permanently from Al Ahly for €1.5 million plus add-ons linked to appearances and achievements.
Barcelona’s urgency to secure Hamza comes on the heels of impressive statistical outputs. He scored 6 goals in 10 matches for the youth team during his initial loan spell, before finishing as the first team’s top scorer in pre-season with 4 goals—including a brace against Birmingham and goals against Basel and Al Ahly. Furthermore, he played the final five minutes against Rayo Vallecano on August 31, becoming the first Egyptian player to represent Barcelona in an official match.
The Catalan hierarchy fears a repeat of the Pedro “Dru” Fernández scenario—the La Masia talent who declined a renewal and joined PSG in January 2026 after the clubs agreed an €8.2 million fee despite his €6 million release clause. PSG previously acquired Xavi Simons from Barcelona’s academy in 2019 and signed Ousmane Dembélé from the first team in 2023 by triggering his €50 million clause.
As a result, Barcelona’s primary battle is against time rather than concrete negotiations. Finalizing an upgraded contract with a major release clause would block any low-cost exit route, whereas leaving the €15 million clause intact leaves Hamza an attainable target for PSG and other European clubs in the coming months.
