Barcelona's Commitment to Hamza Abdelkarim Grows Amid Contract Talks
Barcelona are not blinking over Hamza Abdelkarim. Not after two league games on the bench. Not after a summer that turned the 18‑year‑old into one of the most talked‑about youngsters at the club.
According to Spanish outlet Sport, the roadmap drawn up for the Egyptian striker stays exactly as it is. No loans, no late twists. The club and Hansi Flick are backing their plan – and the player.
Hamza has not played a single minute in the opening two rounds of La Liga, yet Sport describe the confidence around him at Barcelona as “absolute”. Inside the club, they see those absences as part of a long season, not a warning sign.
He earned that trust in pre‑season. The teenager finished the summer as the team’s top scorer, a breakout run that showcased his movement, finishing and presence in the box. Flick still rates him highly and sees him as a live option off the bench for the first team attack, even if his time has not come in La Liga just yet.
The work behind the scenes has been just as important. Physically, Hamza has changed. Already a pure No 9 with a strong frame, he has followed a specific conditioning programme, tailored to his role. The results are now obvious: more power in his legs, more strength in duels, a fuller build in both upper and lower body.
His exposure with Egypt’s senior national team at the last World Cup accelerated that growth. He came on in the closing stages of most games, brief cameos that forced him to adapt quickly to elite pace and pressure. Those minutes hardened him, and Barcelona believe Flick now has a striker who is ready to compete at the top level, even if his development is still far from complete.
Season Plan
For this season, the club’s decision is clear. Sport report that Barcelona intend to keep Abdelkarim registered with Barcelona Atletic, where he started the campaign wearing the No 29 shirt. That registration was part of the plan from day one: whenever he is not involved with the first team, he will drop down and play to maintain rhythm and sharpness.
Barcelona accept that his minutes under Flick will inevitably fluctuate across the season. Tight games, veteran options and tactical choices will all play their part. That is why they view regular action under Juliano Belletti with Barcelona Atletic as the ideal safety net – and a crucial platform – to keep his progression steady rather than stop‑start.
There is another layer to the club’s commitment. Sport add that Barcelona are already working to renew the Egyptian forward’s contract. The message is unmistakable: Hamza Abdelkarim is not just a pre‑season story. He is part of the project, and the club intend to keep him that way.
