Inside story of Barcelona’s decision to permanently sign teenage attacking prodigy

Inside story of Barcelona’s decision to permanently sign teenage attacking prodigy Barcelona needed just four months to decide that Egyptian wonderkid Hamza Abdelkarim was worth keeping and developing as a long-term bet. The Egyptian attacker arrived on loan in February to join the Juvenil A setup, and although the club have not yet officially announced his permanent signing, Al Ahly have already confirmed the agreement forward . Barcelona will pay around €1.5 million plus variables for the 18-year-old, a figure that looks increasingly smart given his rapid adaptation and impressive output. MARCA now gives the inside story of what convinced Barcelona to act swiftly to sign Hamza. Why Barça moved so quickly In just 11 matches for the youth team, Hamza scored eight goals across the league and Copa de Campeones. He seemed to adapt quickly to his new team in a new country and showed signs of maturity despite the weight of the shirt he was wearing. Hamza’s football profile is easy to understand. He is a mobile, two-footed forward with good movement, finishing instinct and the ability to attack space. Hamza Abdelkarim will join Barcelona permanently. (Picture credit: Instagram/@hamzabdelkarim) He had already stood out at youth international level, especially at the Under-17 World Cup, where he scored twice, provided an assist and captained Egypt against England. That said, the key factor for Barcelona was not only talent. The club were impressed by his mentality. Hamza has already shown he can handle pressure, having played for Al Ahly’s first team at 17 and having now joined Egypt’s senior squad for the World Cup at just 18. Flick will get a closer look Hamza’s connection with Barcelona also matters. He has followed the club since childhood and has made a real effort to adapt to the city, the dressing room and the Barça style. That type of commitment is valuable for a young player arriving from a very different football environment. Hamza will do pre-season with first team. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website) The next step is bound to be even more exciting. The plan is for Hamza to join Hansi Flick’s pre-season squad, giving the first-team staff a chance to assess his readiness. He is not being rushed, and expectations must remain realistic. That said, if he comes good, Barça may have secured one of the bargains of the century. For €1.5 million plus variables, this looks like exactly the kind of smart youth-market move the club should be making. It remains to be seen how Hamza develops and whether he impresses Flick enough to earn a regular role in the first team.