Barcelona sporting director Deco hails Hamza Abdelkarim as club’s ‘future striker’

Barcelona sporting director Deco has given Egyptian youngster Hamza Abdelkarim a major vote of confidence, describing the highly-rated forward as the club’s “future striker” amid discussions over whether the Catalan giants need to sign another goalscorer.

Barcelona have enjoyed an impressive start to the 2026/27 campaign, winning all five of their matches so far as they continue to build momentum under their current project.

Despite their strong attacking numbers, the club has been linked with the possibility of strengthening the centre-forward position, but Deco insists there is no immediate need to bring in another prolific striker.

The Barcelona sporting director pointed to the options already available within the squad, while singling out Abdelkarim as a natural No.9 with significant potential.

“Signing a goalscoring striker? We don’t need a goalscoring striker. Rafinha is performing very well, Gabriel (Jesus) is closest to the center forward position, and Hamza is a true center forward and a talented goalscorer. He is our future striker,” Deco told Catalan newspaper Sport.

The comments represent a significant endorsement of Abdelkarim, who has been integrated into Barcelona’s first-team plans after making the move to the Catalan club.

Deco’s remarks suggest that Barcelona view the Egyptian forward as a long-term solution in the position rather than simply a young player being developed for the future.

The sporting director also explained Barcelona’s approach to the centre-forward position, arguing that modern football does not necessarily require a traditional No.9 to lead the attack.

“The discussion about the center forward position is very long. Among the most prominent center forwards are Kane, Haaland and Lewandowski. They are the best of all time. It is difficult to find players with such qualities at the moment,” he added.

Deco used his own playing era to illustrate his point, highlighting how some of the most successful attacking systems have operated without relying exclusively on an orthodox striker.

“For example, in my time, Eto’o was not an outright striker but was closer to Rafinha. Paris Saint-Germain did not have an outright striker. Relying solely on a striker in football stifles the style of play. Many of the team’s players can adapt to this position. Ferran (Torres) was not an outright striker either. We should not overemphasize this matter,” he explained.

His comments underline Barcelona’s belief in tactical flexibility and the ability of different attacking players to occupy central positions.

For Abdelkarim, however, the most important part of Deco’s assessment is the clear indication that the club sees him as a genuine centre-forward rather than a player who must be converted into another position.

The Egyptian forward has continued to attract attention since joining Barcelona, with his goalscoring instincts and ability to operate as a traditional striker strengthening his case for a greater role within the first team.

With Barcelona continuing their strong start to the season, Deco’s comments provide a major indication of the club’s confidence in Abdelkarim and his potential to become an important part of the team’s attacking future.