Barcelona’s Pursuit of African Prospect Hamza Abdelkarim Hits Al-Ahly Roadblock

Score808 - Barcelona's concerted effort to secure one of Africa's most promising young strikers, Hamza Abdelkarim, has encountered a sudden and significant roadblock from his current club, Al-Ahly. Despite the Catalan club identifying the 17-year-old forward as a top priority for the January transfer window, the Egyptian giants are unwilling to easily facilitate a deal.

The urgency of the transfer is magnified by the delicate situation facing Barça Atlètic, the club's reserve team, which is suffering from long-term injuries to key strikers, Vitor Barbera and Oscar Gistau. Barcelona's scouting department views Abdelkarim as the ideal candidate to offer immediate impact and sustain the team's momentum.

To address this need, Barcelona has reportedly submitted a formal proposal to Al-Ahly, structured as a loan deal with an option to buy. However, according to reports from SPORT, the Egyptian club has effectively closed the door on the sale. Al-Ahly is resistant to the current terms and recognizes they possess a highly sought-after asset, having received financially superior offers from other major European clubs, including Sporting Lisbon, Lyon, and Bayern Munich. They view Abdelkarim as not just the greatest emerging talent in Egypt, but one of the most promising young strikers across the African continent.

Complicating the negotiations is the player's personal preference. Sources indicate that Abdelkarim’s desired destination is firmly Barcelona, as he sees the club as the ideal environment for his development and is eager to pursue his lifelong dream there immediately. Despite the player’s desire, Al-Ahly retains the final decision, and for now, the club remains reluctant to sanction his departure, even with his contract set to expire in just 18 months.