Barcelona signs Egyptian teenager Abdelkarim

Barcelona officially announced on June 23, 2026, the permanent signing of teenage Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim, after exercising their option to buy. On loan from Al Ahly, his formative club, Abdelkarim had arrived at Barcelona in the last January transfer window, playing the final stretch of the season with the club’s Juvenil A side (under-16 to under-18 category). He had scored six goals in 11 matches, a level of performance that ultimately convinced the club to trigger the purchase option, resulting in a contract that runs until 2029. The club did not disclose the fee, but several Spanish media outlets reported that it was closed for 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million) plus add-ons. Currently at the World Cup with the Pharaohs, the 18-year-old Abdelkarim has seen playing time in both of his national team’s matches, against Belgium and New Zealand.