Egypt star pens Barca deal before Bafana battle
by Lukhanyo Mtuta · KickOffFC Barcelona have handed teenage sensation Hamza Abdelkarim, who was named in Egypt's squad to face Bafana Bafana, a new deal that includes a reported release clause worth over €100 million (approximately R1.8 billion).
Egypt boss Hossam Hassan named his Egypt squad this week which is set to play two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and South Sudan, as well as an international friendly against South Africa.
Great week for Abdelkarim
Among his picks is Barcelona's 18-year-old striker Abdelkarim, who is enjoying a fantastic week after he was handed a new deal by the Spanish champions.
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The striker was initially signed by Barca's La Masia academy in February 2026 on an initial loan from Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
During the recent pre-season, the youngster impressed Barca boss Hansi Flick, who then promoted him to the first team.
Just over two weeks before facing Bafana, the LALIGA powerhouses have signed tied Abdelkarim to a new deal until June 2030, including a release clause worth more than €100 million (approximately R1.8 billion), according to ESPN.
Haaland of the Nile
The Pharoahs star has since revealed that he is even called "Erling Haaland of the Nile" at Barca.
"When someone asks me which players I look up to and learn from, I think Haaland is an amazing striker," Abdelkarim said after signing his contract.
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"He has a lot of strengths. Always when I watch him, I find something I can learn from him and something I can do to improve my game.
"We all know how good he is at scoring goals. He's always in the right place. That's something you can learn. I can see why you're saying [I am the] Haaland of the Nile."
By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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