Lamine Yamal wants Barcelona to prioritise Hamza Abdelkarim over Haaland

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has reportedly urged the club to prioritise the development of Egyptian youngster Hamza Abdelkarim rather than pursuing a blockbuster move for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

According to reports, Haaland has once again emerged as a potential target for Barcelona, with the Norwegian potentially becoming an attainable option in 2027 amid Manchester City’s ongoing financial and legal issues.

The 25-year-old striker is reportedly expected to have a €175 million release clause in his contract, although Barcelona could attempt to negotiate a lower transfer fee should they decide to make an approach.

However, Yamal is said to believe that spending such a huge amount on another centre-forward would not be necessary.

The Barcelona star reportedly considers Raphinha capable of playing an important role through the middle and believes the club should also give greater opportunities to Abdelkarim, who has impressed since making the step towards the first team.

Yamal is therefore said to have advised sporting director Deco against prioritising the signing of another established No.9, with Haaland and Atlético Madrid forward Julian Alvarez among the names previously linked with the Catalan giants.

Abdelkarim’s development is reportedly a major reason behind Yamal’s position. The Egyptian forward joined Barcelona on loan in January 2026 and initially featured for the club’s youth setup before earning an opportunity to train and play with the senior team.

The youngster has also made his mark internationally with Egypt. Abdelkarim scored his first goal for the Pharaohs in their 5-0 victory over South Sudan, becoming the third-youngest player to score for the Egyptian national team.

Yamal reportedly believes Abdelkarim needs confidence and regular opportunities to develop, and that signing a world-class striker such as Haaland could significantly reduce the Egyptian’s chances of getting playing time.

Barcelona will therefore have to weigh their desire to add another global superstar to their attack against the development of Abdelkarim, who is being viewed as one of the club’s emerging young talents.