The Catalan newspaper "Sport" highlighted the participation of Hamza Abdel Karim with Barcelona's first football team during the Catalan club's preparatory training camp.
Barcelona is preparing to hold a training camp in England between July 27 and August 3, during which it will play its first match there against Birmingham City next Friday.
Barcelona had played its first training match against Europa last Friday and won 4-1, with Hamza Abdel Karim starting for the first time alongside the first team.
The newspaper "Sport" said that Hans Flick will miss many first-team players due to vacation after the end of the 2026 World Cup competitions, so the young players will have a strong chance to participate as starters, most notably Hamza Abdel Karim.
It reported that Hamza Abdel Karim is one of the standout names in this camp; the Egyptian striker who participated in the World Cup and cut short his vacation to prove himself to the German coach is highly regarded at the Catalan club and is one of the young players who excites the fans.
Hamza started and wore the number 9 shirt in the friendly match against Europa; he did not score any goals during the 45 minutes he played but delivered a good performance.
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It noted that at the age of 18, it is logical for him to have a long period ahead for development, but his playing style, his back-to-goal presence, and being a classic high-class striker make him a very promising player for Barcelona.
It explained that at this stage, no scenario can be ruled out for Hamza; the sporting management plan at Barcelona is for the striker to be very close to the first team, train regularly under Flick, play as a substitute striker when needed, and return to the reserve team during periods of the season when playing time is limited to avoid long periods on the bench.
It stressed that a loan move to a club to gain experience in a higher league than the Spanish second division is not out of the question.
It confirmed that the coming weeks will be decisive for Hamza Abdel Karim's future; first, Deco still needs to secure a replacement for Robert Lewandowski, with Julian Alvarez the closest option, though Atletico Madrid does not intend to sell him, while Barcelona's technical staff is also looking for other alternatives.
Additionally, Ferran Torres's future at the club is also uncertain, as his contract expires on June 30, 2027, and he has several offers, most notably from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Catalan newspaper concluded that Hamza's future depends on Barcelona's position in the ongoing transfer market and the deals the club will conclude in the center-forward position.
