Hansi Flick has spent the summer hunting for a recognised finisher to lead his Barcelona attack after the departures of Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford. According to ONE, the answer may already be training with the first team.
The Israeli outlet reports that Hamza Abdelkarim, the 18-year-old Egyptian forward, has become a genuine option to wear Barcelona's number 9 shirt this season after finishing preseason as the club's top scorer, with four goals in the warm-up fixtures.
That tally matches what Lamine Yamal produced in his own breakout preseason and betters the return Ferran Torres posted when he first arrived at the club, a comparison highlighted in Spanish coverage of Abdelkarim's rise. Flick handed him the number 9 shirt for a preseason friendly against Birmingham City, the first time it had been worn in a match since Lewandowski's exit.
Abdelkarim came through the Al Ahly academy in Cairo and made his senior debut for the Egyptian giants in February 2025, reportedly the youngest player to represent the club this century. Barcelona took him on loan to Barça Atlètic in February 2026 with a purchase option attached.
That option was exercised in June, with Barcelona completing a permanent deal worth around €1.5 million plus add-ons and tying the striker to a contract running to 2029. His rapid emergence in preseason has now pushed the club to discuss rewarding him further.
Spanish outlets including Barca Universal and Goal.com report that Barcelona are preparing to raise his release clause roughly tenfold, from €15 million to €150 million, reflecting how quickly his stock has risen since the move became permanent.
Abdelkarim has also broken through at international level. Egypt named him in their squad for the 2026 World Cup in May, and he made his tournament debut in June at 18 years and 165 days old, reportedly the youngest Egyptian ever to feature at a World Cup finals.
ONE's report frames Abdelkarim's form as easing the pressure on Barcelona to bring in an established number 9 before the transfer window closes. The club has also been linked with Folarin Balogun, the American forward on loan at Monaco from Arsenal, but the report suggests Abdelkarim's emergence has reduced the urgency to move for an outside option.
For now, Flick appears willing to let the teenager compete for minutes through form rather than rush into the market for a marquee replacement — a notable show of faith in a player who was in Al Ahly's youth ranks little more than a year ago.
