After weeks of red tape and mounting impatience, Barcelona have finally unblocked a deal for a teenage striker they believe can change the mood in their reserve side. The player is Hamza Abdelkarim, an 18-year-old Egyptian forward signed on loan from Al Ahly until the end of the season, with a buy option built in.

The agreement, confirmed on January 30–31, 2026, follows a frustrating delay driven by visa and work permit issues. Those hurdles are now cleared. Abdelkarim is set to land in Barcelona on January 31 for medical checks and an official signing with Barça Atlètic, Barcelona’s reserve team.

The move carries historical weight. Abdelkarim becomes the first Egyptian to join Barcelona, a landmark moment made possible after his standout displays at the U17 World Cup. For Barça, the signing answers an urgent need in the forward line and fits a longer-term plan.

Deal terms: low risk, real upside

Barcelona and Al Ahly struck a full agreement that suits both clubs and protects Barça’s budget. The structure is simple and smart for a mid-season solution.

• Loan through the end of the current season
• Purchase option: €3 million, rising to €5 million with performance bonuses
• No loan fee
• Player age: 18

This is classic low-risk, high-upside business. There is no upfront loan cost, and the buy option is modest by top-club standards, especially if Abdelkarim shows he can grow in Spain.

“Smart business: low fee, high ceiling — let him cook.”

Why the move stalled: visas and work permits

Barcelona and Al Ahly had an early agreement in December, but the transfer got stuck in bureaucratic mud. Visa and work permit approvals dragged on for weeks, slowing the timeline and testing patience on all sides.

These administrative delays are common for non-EU teenagers moving into Spanish football, and they often require careful coordination between club, agents, and authorities. In this case, everything is now in place, and Abdelkarim will be greeted in Barcelona by his agent, Christian Emile, before heading to his medical and signing.

“Paperwork took a month — now let’s see the kid on the pitch.”

Why Barça Atlètic need him now

Barça Atlètic have been juggling a striker injury crisis while chasing a promotion push. Goals have been at a premium, and minutes up top are there for the taking. An energetic, direct forward with international youth pedigree fits perfectly into that gap.

Abdelkarim is expected to join training after his medical, giving the coaching staff a fresh option in the final third. Even a short-term impact — pressing defenders, stretching lines, and finishing simple chances — can swing tight games at reserve level.

A first for Egypt — and a window for Barça

Abdelkarim’s arrival is more than just a quick fix. It’s a bridge between an iconic African club and Barcelona’s development pathway. He becomes the first Egyptian to wear Barcelona colors at any level, a powerful symbol for young fans in Egypt and across the region.

His stock rose at the U17 World Cup, where he showed pace, movement, and confidence against peers from elite academies. For Barça, this kind of profile is exactly what they seek for the reserve team: talent with upside, hunger to prove it, and the potential to be developed in-house.

“From Cairo to Catalonia — let the kid dream.”

What happens next: arrival, medical, and sign-on

Abdelkarim arrives in Barcelona on January 31, 2026. He will undergo standard medical checks and then sign as a Barça Atlètic player. The plan is straightforward: integrate him quickly, get him settled, and put him on the training pitch as soon as possible.

Given the team’s needs, he should get opportunities right away. Training will reveal how fast he adapts to the rhythm, but the coaching staff will not overcomplicate it. Keep the role simple, build his confidence, and let his instincts show inside the box.

Who said what: confirmations and signals

Fabrizio Romano’s signature “Here we go” landed once the agreement with Al Ahly was fully finalized. That message echoed what Al Ahly director of football Waleed Salah El-Din had already confirmed publicly: the move was agreed, and only the formalities remained.

Spanish and international outlets followed suit, with widespread reporting on the cleared permit issues and the structured buy option. The consistency of those details — the €3m option, rising to €5m with bonuses, and no loan fee — underlines how tightly the clubs aligned to complete the deal.

Why this matters for Barcelona

This is the type of signing that supports both the present and the future. In the short term, Abdelkarim helps fill a gap in a thin forward line for Barça Atlètic. In the medium term, he is a development bet that can be made permanent for a manageable fee if he clicks.

For a club that still prizes the academy pathway, finding value in international youth markets matters. Abdelkarim’s story — from Al Ahly to Barcelona, via the U17 World Cup — fits that vision and gives Barça scouts another data point for future moves in North Africa.

The bottom line

After a month of delays, Barcelona have their man. Hamza Abdelkarim’s loan from Al Ahly is done, the paperwork is approved, and his flight to Barcelona is booked. Now comes the real test: how quickly he can turn a tidy deal into goals, minutes, and momentum for Barça Atlètic’s season.

If he adapts fast, the buy option at €3m — potentially rising to €5m — will look like a bargain. Either way, an 18-year-old pioneer for Egyptian football is about to take his first steps in Catalonia. That alone is a story worth watching.