Barcelona consider new deal for Hamza Abdelkarim after prolific pre-season

Barcelona are considering an improved contract for Egypt international Hamza Abdelkarim after his impressive performances during the club’s preparations for the new season.

The 18? no age given. Don’t add. According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, who specialises in transfer-market news, Barcelona’s management is discussing an extension for the forward, who has emerged as an increasingly important member of the squad.

The proposed changes would improve the financial terms of Abdelkarim’s current agreement and significantly increase his release clause. His buyout figure would rise from 15m euros to 150m euros if the club completes the planned renewal.

Abdelkarim chose not to take the break available to him after representing Egypt at the World Cup. Instead, he joined up with Hansi Flick’s first-team squad for pre-season training as Barcelona prepared for the new campaign.

The Egypt international made five appearances in Barcelona’s friendly matches and scored four goals, finishing the preparation period as the club’s leading scorer.

He scored twice against Birmingham City, found the net once against Basel and added another goal against his former club Al Ahly.

Those displays have strengthened his position within Flick’s squad and prompted Barcelona to consider securing his future on improved terms. The club’s reported intention to increase the release clause from 15m euros to 150m euros reflects the importance they now attach to the player.

Barcelona ended last season as champions of La Liga after a closely fought title race with Real Madrid. They are now preparing for the start of the new campaign, with their next fixture scheduled against Elche on Sunday in the second round of La Liga.

The club’s opening-round match against Athletic Club was postponed and will instead be played on Thursday, 27 August, at Camp Nou.

Abdelkarim’s involvement in the first-team preparations, as well as his goalscoring record across the five friendlies, has made him one of the notable developments of Barcelona’s pre-season. His decision to join the squad immediately after Egypt’s World Cup campaign also underlined his desire to establish himself under Flick.

Barcelona’s reported move to revise his contract comes before the competitive schedule fully develops, with the club seeking to build on last season’s league triumph and begin the new campaign with a squad capable of competing at the highest level.