Barcelona decided to exercise the purchase option and permanently signed the young Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim. The 18-year-old player, who arrived on loan at the beginning of 2026, will remain at the Catalan club after standing out in the B team and the under-19 team.
Born on January 1, 2008, in Cairo, Hamza Abdelkarim is 1.82m tall and plays as a center forward. He arrived at Barça Atlètic from Al Ahly, one of Egypt’s biggest clubs, and quickly adapted to La Masia’s style. His performance even caught the attention of the Egyptian team.
The value of the permanent transfer is around 1.5 million euros, plus variables based on goals and performance. The deal represents a low-risk bet by Barcelona on a young talent with the potential to grow at the club.
Hamza has already worn the number 9 shirt for Egypt’s 2026 World Cup squad, sharing squads with the likes of Mohamed Salah. This call reinforces the leap in quality that the attacker has made since arriving in Spain.
At Barcelona, the Egyptian became the first player in the country to defend the Blaugrana colors. He racked up important goals at youth level, including headed hat-tricks, and received praise from the coaching staff for his physical, tactical and mental adaptation.
Hamza’s stay fits into the club’s strategy of strengthening the squad with young promises. With the main team under the command of Hansi Flick, the expectation is that the striker will be able to train with the main group after the World Cup, increasing his chances of debuting for the top team.