Barcelona officially sign Hamza Abdelkarim: Details of the Al-Ahly striker's deal
FC Barcelona announced today (Sunday), in a historic move for Egyptian and Arab football, the official signing of young Egyptian striker Hamza Abdel Karim from Al Ahly SC. The deal is a loan until the end of the current season, with an option for the Catalan club to purchase him permanently, just hours before the close of the winter transfer window in La Liga.
Details of the deal and arrival in Catalonia
The 18-year-old arrived in Barcelona on Saturday evening, where he was greeted by his agent, Christian Emile. Hamza underwent the standard medical examinations, which were successful, and the contracts were signed and finalized, making him the first Egyptian player to officially wear the Blaugrana jersey in the club's illustrious history.
According to the official statement, Hamza Abdelkarim will initially join Barcelona Athletic's reserve team, which competes in the Spanish third division. However, sources confirmed that the player will be closely monitored by the first team's coaching staff, led by German coach Hansi Flick, who is known for his keen interest in young talents and giving them opportunities, as he previously did with Bayern Munich and the German national team.
Financial figures and future bets
Spanish media outlets close to the club, specifically the newspaper "Sport," have revealed that the financial details of the deal include a six-month loan until June 30th, with an option to buy for a base fee of €3 million. This fee could rise to €5 million based on performance-related bonuses and incentives linked to the player's achievement of certain agreed-upon objectives.
This signing comes as part of Barcelona’s new strategy, which relies on attracting young talents from around the world at reasonable prices and developing them within the “La Masia” academy or the reserve team, in light of the economic challenges facing the club and its efforts to comply with the rules of Financial Fair Play.
Promising artistic abilities and a distinguished international career
Barcelona's sporting management, led by Deco, is banking on the immense physical and goal-scoring abilities of the Egyptian striker. Hamza stands at an impressive 1.85 meters tall and possesses a powerful left foot, qualities that make him a strong candidate for promotion to the first team, offering a different attacking option, especially given the club's focus on integrating young talent with established stars like Lamine Yamal.
Hamza Abdel Karim (born in 2007) is considered one of the brightest talents in Al Ahly's youth academy and in African football. He has previously played nine official matches for Al Ahly's first team, but his true brilliance shone through with the Egyptian U-17 national team, where he scored 12 goals in 17 international appearances. His most notable performance came at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, where his intelligent movement inside the penalty area and keen goal-scoring instinct caught the eye of European club scouts.
The importance of the deal for Egyptian football
This move represents a significant leap forward for Egyptian players, opening the door for more talents to transfer directly from the Egyptian league to top Spanish La Liga clubs. Hamza is following in the footsteps of prominent Egyptian stars who have shone in Europe, such as Mohamed Salah, Mido, and Mohamed Elneny, but his uniqueness lies in being the first to break into the Camp Nou, placing a great responsibility on his shoulders to represent Egyptian football in the best possible way.
