Barcelona has officially secured the transfer of Egypt international Hamza Abdelkarim from Al Ahly for a reported initial fee of €1.5 million ($1.7m), as confirmed by both clubs.
The 18-year-old player initially joined Barcelona on loan in January but has impressed with his performances for the youth teams, prompting the club to make the move permanent.
His strong performances in Spain have earned him a spot in Egypt’s squad for the World Cup in North America, where he will don the No. 9 jersey alongside stars like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.
Abdelkarim made his international debut for Egypt in a 1-0 victory against Russia on May 28 and played as a substitute in last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Brazil in Cleveland.
Egypt will begin their World Cup journey on Monday against Belgium in Group G, followed by matches against New Zealand and Iran.
Abdelkarim joined Al Ahly in 2020 and became the youngest player to represent the club in the 21st century during a match against Petrojet in February 2025.
He made a total of nine appearances for the Egyptian side before transitioning to Barça earlier this year.
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Initially signed for Barça Atletic, competing in the fourth tier of Spanish football, bureaucratic issues delayed his participation. He finally made his debut for the under-19 team in March, scoring on his first outing against Huesca and netting a hat trick versus UD Montecarlo. However, he also faced disappointment with two final losses in a Barça shirt, one against Real Betis in the Copa del Rey Juvenil and the other against Real Madrid in the Copa de Campeones.