Barcelona begin talks to raise Hamza Abdelkarim’s release clause

FC Barcelona have opened discussions over a new contract for Hamza Abdelkarim after the teenage forward made an impressive start to life at the club.

The 18-year-old Egypt international joined Barcelona permanently this summer for €1.5m following a successful loan spell from Al Ahly. Despite only recently completing his move, Abdelkarim is already in line for an improved deal as the Catalan club seek to secure his long-term future.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona’s directors have been encouraged by the forward’s commitment and his rapid adaptation to the squad. Their immediate priority is to increase the player’s release clause, which currently stands at €15m.

The club believes that figure is significantly below Abdelkarim’s true value and potential. Negotiations have begun with the aim of strengthening the terms of his contract, although an agreement is not yet close. Barcelona nevertheless want to complete the process as quickly as possible to protect the player from interest elsewhere.

Abdelkarim’s emergence has been accelerated by changes in Barcelona’s attacking options. He has been used as the club’s central striker following the departures of Robert Lewandowski to the United States and Ferran Torres to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Egyptian took advantage of the opportunity during pre-season, cutting short his holiday after the World Cup to return to training. He subsequently scored four goals in four matches during Barcelona’s pre-season tour, performances that have strengthened the technical staff’s confidence in him.

Barcelona now intend to give Abdelkarim a prominent role in the season ahead. His current contract runs until 2029, while his market value is listed at €1.5m by Transfermarkt.

The forward could next feature when Barcelona face Elche in the second round of the Spanish league season. The match is scheduled to be Barcelona’s next competitive fixture, with Barcelona priced at 1.36 to win by betting company 1xbet. A draw is listed at 5.50, while an Elche victory is priced at 7.50.

For Barcelona, the decision to begin renegotiating Abdelkarim’s contract so soon reflects the speed of his progress. The club paid a relatively modest fee to secure his services permanently, but his pre-season performances have already led the hierarchy to reassess both his status and the protection provided by his existing agreement.

The proposed changes are intended to recognise his contribution while making it more difficult for other clubs to pursue him by meeting the current €15m clause. Although the new contract has not yet been finalised, Barcelona’s position is clear: Abdelkarim has moved quickly from promising loanee to an important part of their plans for the forthcoming campaign.