Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim has agreed a new long-term contract with FC Barcelona until June 30, 2030, just months after completing his permanent move from Al Ahly.
Barcelona officially announced the agreement on September 11, with the 18-year-old expected to formally sign his new deal in the office of club president Joan Laporta on September 15.
The new agreement comes after Abdelkarim’s rapid rise during his first months in Spain, including a prolific spell with Barcelona’s youth side, an impressive preseason under Hansi Flick and his competitive first-team debut in La Liga.
Reports in Spain and Egypt say Barcelona has also raised his release clause from €15 million to €150 million, reflecting the club’s growing confidence in the Egyptian forward’s potential. Barcelona itself has not publicly confirmed the exact release-clause figure.
Barcelona Secure Hamza Abdelkarim Until 2030
FC Barcelona confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Abdelkarim to extend his stay by another year, replacing the contract that was previously due to run until June 2029.
The new deal will keep him at the Catalan club through June 30, 2030.
The timing is significant.
Barcelona only made Abdelkarim’s move permanent in June after exercising the purchase option included in his initial loan agreement with Al Ahly. His original permanent contract was for three seasons through 2029.
Less than three months later, the club has already moved to improve and extend those terms.
Release Clause Reportedly Jumps From €15M to €150M
One of the biggest reported changes involves Abdelkarim’s release clause.
Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported that his previous contract contained a clause worth approximately €15 million, a figure Barcelona increasingly considered too low following his rapid development.
Reports now place the new figure at €150 million — ten times the previous amount.
Egyptian outlet Akhbar El Yom similarly reported that negotiations between sporting director Deco and Abdelkarim’s representatives ultimately resulted in the €150 million clause and a contract through 2030.
Barcelona’s official statement did not specify the clause, so the €150 million figure should currently be treated as reported rather than officially disclosed by the club.
Even so, multiplying the clause by ten would send a clear message about how highly Barça now values the Egyptian striker.
From Al Ahly to Barcelona in 2026
Abdelkarim’s Barcelona journey began on February 1, 2026, when he joined from Al Ahly on loan until the end of the season.
The agreement included an option for Barcelona to buy him permanently.
Administrative procedures delayed his competitive debut until March, but he quickly made an impact once he was able to play.
Abdelkarim scored on his first appearance for Barça’s U19A team against Huesca before finishing the league campaign with six goals in nine matches, including a hat-trick in a 9-0 victory over Montecarlo.
His performances were enough to convince Barcelona to activate their purchase option during the summer.
The club officially informed Al Ahly in June that Abdelkarim would remain in Catalonia permanently.
Four Preseason Goals Change Everything
Abdelkarim’s biggest breakthrough came during Barcelona’s 2026 preseason.
Hansi Flick included the Egyptian striker in the first-team preparations, giving him an opportunity to compete directly alongside Barça’s senior players.
He responded with four goals, finishing preseason as Barcelona’s leading scorer.
Those performances dramatically increased his profile within the club.
Rather than immediately sending him out on loan, Barcelona decided to keep Abdelkarim close to the first-team setup as he continues his development.
Reports in Spain suggest Barça believes training regularly under Flick and alongside established first-team players will be more valuable for his development than leaving the club temporarily.
Hamza Abdelkarim Makes His Barcelona First-Team Debut
The progression continued on August 31, 2026.
Abdelkarim made his competitive first-team debut for Barcelona against Rayo Vallecano at Spotify Camp Nou, appearing during the closing stages of the La Liga match.
It represented a major milestone only seven months after he first arrived in Spain on loan.
Barcelona now lists Abdelkarim on its official first-team player pages as a forward wearing No. 29.
The club’s squad-number announcement describes him as one of the development players “in and around the first team,” suggesting he will remain connected to the senior squad while continuing to develop.
Is Hamza Abdelkarim Now a Permanent First-Team Player?
His situation is slightly more nuanced than simply saying he has been permanently promoted.
Barcelona has given Abdelkarim the No. 29 shirt and features him on its first-team website, and he has already made his competitive senior debut.
However, reporting around the club indicates that the teenager is expected to alternate between the first-team environment and the development structure as Barcelona manages his progression.
That gives Flick the option to call on him when needed without placing the full expectations of a regular first-team striker on an 18-year-old who only moved to European football earlier this year.
Hansi Flick Backs the Egyptian Forward
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has publicly praised Abdelkarim following the renewal announcement, reinforcing the idea that the decision was based on more than his contract value.
Speaking about the Egyptian forward, Flick highlighted the development he has shown since joining the club and the qualities that make him a useful attacking option.
The German coach has also indicated that Abdelkarim will continue training around the first-team group while Barcelona carefully manages expectations around his progress.
His profile also differs from several of Barcelona’s other attackers.
At 1.82 meters, Abdelkarim offers a natural center-forward presence, movement inside the penalty area and an instinct for finding scoring positions — characteristics Barça believes can give the squad another type of attacking option.
Barcelona Moved Quickly to Protect One of Its Rising Talents
The most striking part of Abdelkarim’s new deal is how quickly it arrived.
In February, he was a teenager arriving from Al Ahly on loan.
By June, Barcelona had purchased him permanently.
By August, he had finished as the senior team’s top scorer in preseason and made his official first-team debut.
And by September, Barça had already agreed another contract extending his future until 2030.
Reports suggest interest from elsewhere also encouraged Barcelona to move quickly and protect the player with a significantly larger release clause.
For the club, the decision represents an attempt to secure a player whose value and status have changed far more quickly than initially expected.
From €15M to a Reported €150M Clause
The reported increase from €15 million to €150 million perhaps best illustrates how dramatically Abdelkarim’s standing has changed.
A €15 million clause could potentially have made him accessible to other European clubs if his development continued at its current pace.
A €150 million clause creates a very different situation.
It does not mean Barcelona currently values Abdelkarim at €150 million or expects another club to pay that amount. Release clauses in Spanish football frequently function primarily as contractual protection.
Instead, it gives Barça far greater control over the player’s future and prevents another club from easily bypassing negotiations by triggering a relatively modest clause.
Another Major Step for Egyptian Football
Abdelkarim’s rise also carries significance beyond Barcelona.
He became the first Egyptian footballer to represent a Barça team when he joined in February.
His subsequent progression to the senior side has made him one of Egypt’s most closely watched young players in European football.
The striker also represented Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup before returning to Barcelona for preseason, adding senior international experience during an unusually busy year.
At only 18, Barcelona is clearly taking a long-term approach rather than expecting him to immediately become a regular starter.
But his development during 2026 has already moved significantly faster than initially expected.
What Happens Next for Hamza Abdelkarim?
The immediate next step is the formal signing of his new contract.
Barcelona announced that the ceremony would take place on September 15 at 5:00 PM CEST in Joan Laporta’s office, followed by Abdelkarim speaking to the media.
After that, attention will return to his role on the pitch.
With the No. 29 shirt, a first-team debut already behind him and Flick continuing to include him around the senior squad, Abdelkarim now has an opportunity to earn further competitive minutes while continuing his development inside Barcelona.
The teenager is still at the beginning of his European career, and the club appears determined not to rush that process.
But a contract through 2030, combined with a reported €150 million release clause, sends a clear signal: Barcelona increasingly sees Hamza Abdelkarim not simply as an academy prospect, but as a young player worth protecting for the future.
