Barcelona tie down Egypt teenager Hamza Abdelkarim until 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim has signed a new Barcelona contract until 2030 and says he is proud to be known as the “Haaland of the Nile”.

The 18-year-old Egypt forward has been rewarded with improved terms, including a salary increase and a buyout clause understood to be worth more than 100 million euros.

Abdelkarim joined Barcelona from Al Ahly, initially arriving in January before the Spanish champions made the move permanent in June for an initial 1.5m euros. He started with the U19 side, later played for Barca Atletic and then progressed into Hansi Flick’s senior squad.

His promotion was accelerated by an impressive pre-season. Abdelkarim scored twice in his first senior-team start against Birmingham City and ended the campaign with four goals in five friendly appearances.

He made his competitive debut as a substitute in Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano last month and has remained involved with Flick’s squad this season.

The teenager is comfortable with comparisons to Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, whom he considers a player to study.

“Haaland is a wonderful forward, amazing at scoring goals and at being in the right place to score them,” he said. “You can always learn from the great players by watching the way they play. And I like being called the Haaland of the Nile.”

Abdelkarim described his new contract as another significant moment in a year of rapid progress.

“It’s a dream,” he said. “You have to see what you can work on and improve, and that’s what we do every day. I know I have to improve.

“The coach and all the staff really support me and have helped me improve many things. The dressing room has supported me from day one. It’s a family, more than just a team.”

He accepts that competition for places may restrict his playing time and says he will continue preparing for opportunities.

“Playing minutes are the coach’s decision and I respect that. I work every day to develop. I need time to improve and help the team. I know the minutes will come, and I have to be ready when the time comes,” he said.

Abdelkarim has already played for Egypt at senior level and believes scoring goals must remain his main contribution, whether he is representing Barcelona’s first team, reserves or his country.

“I am a forward and I want to score goals, of course,” he said. “There are other players who score goals, like Raphinha and Lamine, but my contribution is to score goals.”

Winning the Champions League is his leading ambition, although he prefers to focus on practical targets.

“I want to score goals and win trophies, especially the Champions League,” Abdelkarim said. “But I prefer to talk about goals rather than dreams, because that is how I deal with them.”

One of his earliest memories of Barcelona is the club’s historic Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, which he watched at home with his brother.

His immediate objective is to score his first competitive goal for the club.

“To score goals for the team, and to work and develop with this group,” he said. “I am a forward and I want to help the team by scoring goals.”