Juliano Belletti explains Barcelona B move for Hamza Abdelkarim

​Barcelona B coach Juliano Belletti has outlined why the club moved for Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim in the winter transfer window, stressing that the long-term goal is to eventually strengthen the first team.

Speaking to Spanish daily Sport, Belletti reviewed the January business, which saw Barcelona B add an experienced centre forward in Joaquin Delgado alongside three promising youngsters for the future.

He revealed that Abdelkarim, Patricio Pacifico and Guensly Honstein were all signed with a clear plan: to mature patiently with the reserves before becoming genuine first-team options. The 18-year-old Abdelkarim has generated particular excitement, but bureaucratic delays around registration have so far postponed his debut.

Despite that, Belletti is happy with what he has seen in training. “Hamza trains well and has adapted appropriately, and it’s clear he wants to show what he can do. Whether he plays or not has only depended on the paperwork and approvals for his first appearance,” he explained.

According to Sport, Abdelkarim is working daily to meet the high expectations around him, racing against time to prove he can justify Barcelona’s faith and one day make the jump up to the senior side.
​