Youssef Obama has completed a permanent move from Egyptian Premier League side Pyramids FC to Iraqi club Al-Karma, sealing a switch that takes the attacking midfielder out of his home country and into the Iraq Stars League. The transfer is registered as a standard deal rather than a loan, with the move officially dated 2026-02-05. Obama’s contract with Al-Karma is scheduled to run until 2026-06-30, after which he is currently projected to become a free agent unless an extension is agreed.
The 30-year-old Egyptian, valued at €400k at the time of the move, leaves Pyramids FC after a relatively short spell to join Al-Karma, who compete in Iraq’s top flight. While the exact transfer fee has not been disclosed, the completed switch marks a confirmed cross-border move for the Alexandria-born playmaker and formally adds the Iraq Stars League to the list of competitions in which he has appeared during his career.
Obama arrives at Al-Karma as an experienced attacking midfielder, predominantly operating in the No. 10 role and favouring his right foot. Standing at 1.78 m, he has built his reputation in Egypt with Zamalek SC and later Pyramids FC, mixing creativity between the lines with an ability to link midfield and attack. His career pathway has already taken him through several clubs in North Africa and the Middle East, including loan spells that broadened his exposure to different tactical setups and competitive environments.
The Egyptian international’s transfer history shows a steady progression through the domestic game before this latest move abroad. After emerging from Zamalek SC’s youth ranks and stepping up from Zamalek SC U21 to the first team in 2014, Obama spent time on loan at Ittihad Alexandria SC and Wadi Degla FC, returning to Zamalek on multiple occasions as those loan deals expired. A subsequent loan stint at Saudi side Al-Hazem SC introduced him to football outside Egypt, before he again went back to Zamalek and then secured a move to Pyramids FC ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Across those years, his market value has fluctuated, peaking at around €1.5m during his most influential period with Zamalek SC before gradually declining to €400k by late 2025. That trajectory reflects both the natural ageing curve of an attacking player and the shifts in his role and prominence at club level. Nonetheless, the decision by Al-Karma to sign him on a standard transfer underlines the Iraqi club’s belief that he can still deliver at a high level and bring top-flight experience from Egypt and Saudi Arabia into their squad.
For Obama, this confirmed move represents a new chapter and a return to playing outside Egypt, but this time on a permanent basis rather than a temporary loan. The finite nature of his contract term with Al-Karma also creates a clear juncture in his career: when the deal expires on 2026-06-30, he is on course to be out of contract and thus in a position to negotiate freely over his next destination. How he adapts to Al-Karma, and how he performs in the Iraq Stars League, will likely play a decisive role in shaping both his immediate future on the pitch and the options that open up once this agreement reaches its end.
