Eighteen-year-old Egyptian footballer Hamza Abdel Karim has taken a major career step by joining FC Barcelona on loan from Egyptian giants Al Ahly. This transfer is a historic moment because he becomes the first Egyptian player to join Barcelona, one of the biggest football club in the world.
Al Ahly’s football director, Waleed Salah El-Din, confirmed that Abdel Karim has finished all the legal and contract steps needed for the transfer. Once his visa paperwork is completed, he will travel to Spain to start his new journey with Barcelona.
Before the loan, Al Ahly renewed Abdel Karim’s contract so that the deal could go through properly. The loan will see him play for Barcelona’s reserve team, Barça Atlètic, until the end of the season. Barcelona also has the option to sign him permanently.
This decision comes after weeks of discussions between Al Ahly and Barcelona, showing how serious both clubs were about the deal. Hamza Abdel Karim’s deal is more than just a transfer. Because its first in the history when a young Egyptian footballer will join one of the top European club.
Sources from Spain report that Barcelona sees Hamza Abdel Karim as a talented player who can help their striking in the future, especially after scouting him for some time. The loan deal is reported to include a purchase option worth up to €3 million, with possible extra money if he perform well.
Hamza Abdel Karim has already said goodbye to his teammates in Egypt and is expected to arrive in Barcelona soon to start training with his new team. He will start with the Barça Atlètic squad, which is the reserve team that helps young players to develop their skills before joining the main team.
The young striker is seen as a rising star by many football experts, and European media have even described him as one of the most exciting young Egyptian player right now. Some reports in Catalan newspapers have called him as a future top player.
Hamza Abdel Karim’s football journey started in the Al Ahly youth academy, where he trained and played before joining the senior squad. His performances at youth level and in international youth competitions helped him to attract interest from scouts in Europe.
For Barcelona, adding a young striker like Hamza Abdel Karim fits their tradition of giving chances to talented young players. Barça Atlètic often serves as a bridge for youth stars to grow and play in the main Barcelona team.
Fans of both Al Ahly and Egyptian football are excited about this deal because it can open doors for more Egyptian players to play in big European leagues. Many supporters hope that Abdel Karim will improve, gain experience, and possibly one day become a top players in football world.
This deal shows how talented young players from Africa and the Middle East can attract the attention of big clubs like Barcelona. It also highlights the growing role of global scouting and development systems in modern football, where clubs look all over the world to find the next generation of stars.
As Hamza Abdel Karim arrives in Spain, people will be watching to see how he adapts to the new environment, the higher level of training, and the challenges of European football. Many will hope that his stay at Barcelona helps him grow into a strong professional player who can make a name for himself both in Europe and for the Egyptian national team in the future.