Barcelona's task of signing a new striker is becoming increasingly difficult as the summer transfer window nears its end, after securing Julián Álvarez has become highly complicated, while the deal for Lautaro Martínez does not appear any easier.
Hamza Abdel Karim
Club: Barcelona
According to the newspaper Sport, Barcelona is still searching for a dedicated striker to strengthen its squad, but if the club fails to complete any deal, Hans Flick will be forced to rely on available internal solutions, including Hamza Abdel Karim.
Raphinha tops the list of options, having appeared as a striker during the match against Elche and delivered a good performance, while Anthony Gordon represents another option for Flick, especially since he can play on the wing or cut inside.
The list of solutions does not stop with this duo, as Flick has more than one card he can use in the forward line according to the needs of each match.
At the end of the list of options, according to the report, comes the young Egyptian Hamza Abdel Karim, who could turn into an emergency solution to fill the role of a dedicated striker if all of Barcelona's attempts to sign a new striker fail.
The newspaper noted that Hamza's name is not mentioned as the first option to compensate for the missing new signing, but rather as the last resort the club might turn to if all alternatives are exhausted.
Hamza's presence gives Barcelona a different card within the squad, especially since he is naturally a dedicated striker, at a time when Flick is currently forced to use players like Raphinha and Gordon out of their primary positions.
The ordering of options depends first on attempting to sign a top-tier striker, headed by Julián Álvarez, then searching for available alternatives in the market, and afterward relying on Raphinha, Gordon, and other team members.
Only after exhausting all these solutions does Hamza Abdel Karim come into play as one of Flick's final options.
Including Hamza in Barcelona's calculations does not mean the club has decided to rely on him as a key player during the season, but it reflects the difficulty of the team's situation before the transfer window closes.
With the mercatto nearing its end, this emergency plan could turn into a real opportunity for the Egyptian striker, especially if Deco fails to complete a deal for a new striker during the final days of the transfer window.