Barcelona intend to keep Hamza Abdelkarim at the club this season and gradually increase his first-team involvement, with the forward targeted to make between 10 and 15 appearances.
The Catalan club and manager Flick have no current plans to send the Egypt international out on loan, despite the player receiving several offers ahead of the January transfer window.
Instead, Barcelona want Abdelkarim to remain close to the first team as he continues his development. The club’s football department and Flick believe he can make a significant contribution in the future, but are taking a cautious approach to his progress.
According to Sport, Barcelona hope Abdelkarim will eventually start some matches during the current campaign as his role increases. His opportunities are expected to grow after the international break, as part of the club’s rotation policy.
The 10 to 15-match target is intended to give the young striker valuable experience without placing too much pressure on his development. So far, he has made only a brief appearance against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
Abdelkarim has nevertheless become a major talking point in Egypt. His move to Barcelona, followed by his first goal for the senior Egypt national team, has raised hopes that he could develop into one of the country’s leading players.
He has so far been given more opportunities by Egypt than by Barcelona, although that difference forms part of an agreed plan to manage his introduction to the club’s first team carefully.
Barcelona initially expected Abdelkarim to take part in the first team’s pre-season preparations under the terms of his contract. However, his inclusion in Egypt’s squad for the World Cup accelerated his progress and increased interest from the transfer market.
That attention led Barcelona not only to complete his permanent signing, but also to offer him a professional contract with the first team. The agreement includes a release clause worth more than 100m euros, as well as improved terms and an extension.
The lack of playing time remains a potential obstacle to Abdelkarim’s development. Barcelona have decided, for now, that maintaining his current situation is preferable, while planning to expand his involvement over time.
The club’s coaches believe he has the natural qualities to become a central striker. He is regarded as particularly intelligent in his attacking movement and also possesses a strong physical frame and an impressive shot.
Those attributes have led staff at Barcelona to identify him as a potential future number nine for the club. Despite the loan proposals expected in January, the decision has already been made for Abdelkarim to stay and continue learning within the first-team environment.