Barcelona attacking target breaks silence on rumours – ‘It motivates any player’ | OneFootball

At this point, it has been well-established that FC Barcelona are trying to sign Egyptian wonderkid Hamza Abdelkarim from Al Ahly.

The 17-year-old attacking prodigy is rated highly at the Catalan club and they have a firm plan to sign him, with the idea being to bring him in on loan in January with a buy option for the summer.

The idea would be for the youngster to join the reserve team, Barça Atletic, initially and make gradual progress towards the first team.

A formal offer, to that end, has already been sent to Al Ahly, but the Blaugrana have encountered roadblocks as the Egyptian giants are not making it easy for the move to go through.

Abdelkarim opens up on rumours

Amidst all the speculation and rumours, Abdelkarim has spoken out on the situation, insisting that he does not let himself get distracted by what’s being said in the media.

“Of course, I deal with pressure. I try not to focus on what is being said… I try to concentrate on my work on the pitch,” he said, as quoted by SPORT.

Barcelona want Hamza Abdelkarim. (Photo credit: Instagram/@hamzabdelkarim)

“It is an honour for me to represent the club,” the 17-year-old added, insisting his commitment to Al Ahly remains firm.

At the same time, he acknowledged the outside interest, saying: “Attention from outside clubs is not unusual… it motivates any player.”

Young gem wants Barcelona

The same report from SPORT adds that sources close to the player claim Abdelkarim has already made up his mind and wants to join Barcelona, which he considers his personal dream.

However, Al Ahly are not moving from their position. The Egyptian champions’ stance is firm. They do not feel obliged to sell Hamza, who they consider is “Egypt’s biggest football talent” and one of Africa’s most promising emerging players.

Even more so, considering that there are more lucrative offers than Barcelona’s on the table, especially from Bayern Munich, Sporting CP and Olympique Lyon.