Barcelona have opened negotiations with 19-year-old Egypt striker Hamza Abdelkarim over a new contract, with the club aiming to increase his release clause from €15m to €150m.
The teenager has emerged as one of the early discoveries of the season and Barcelona are keen to secure his long-term position at the club. Talks with his representative, Christian Emil, began after a meeting at the club’s training base two days ago, according to SPORT.
Negotiations are understood to be progressing well, with Barcelona hoping to reach an agreement as soon as possible. The club considers Abdelkarim one of the major successes of its recruitment work and wants to strengthen the financial protection built into his contract.
Abdelkarim joined Barcelona from Egyptian club Al Ahly for €1.5m. He finished pre-season as the Catalan side’s leading goalscorer, scoring four times, and has also impressed the club with his attitude towards training and the way he has adapted to the team.
Barcelona’s principal objective is to raise the forward’s release clause to €150m. That would represent a tenfold increase on the current figure of €15m and give the club significantly greater protection if interest in the player develops.
The proposed agreement reflects the rapid progress Abdelkarim has made since arriving from Egypt. His performances during pre-season have made him one of the players to attract particular attention at the start of the campaign, while his approach to work has strengthened the view within Barcelona that he represents an important success for the club’s scouting and recruitment operation.
The club is also keen to avoid a repeat of the circumstances surrounding Pedro Fernandes, who left Barcelona after his €6m release clause was paid.
That experience has added urgency to the discussions over Abdelkarim’s contract. Barcelona want to complete the process quickly rather than risk losing control of the player’s future for a comparatively modest fee.
For now, the negotiations remain focused on the terms of a new agreement and the proposed increase to the release clause. The meeting with Emil marks the beginning of that process, but SPORT reports that both sides have made a positive start.
Abdelkarim’s move from Al Ahly cost Barcelona €1.5m, and his four goals in pre-season have already made him the club’s top scorer over that period. Barcelona believe his development, combined with his professional attitude and smooth adaptation, warrants a contract that more accurately reflects his value to the team.
The club’s priority is therefore to reach an agreement with the Egypt international as quickly as possible and ensure that the €150m figure becomes the key protection in his new deal.