Flick considering taking 18-year-old Barcelona forward on first-team pre-season | OneFootball

FC Barcelona teenage forward Hamza Abdelkarim’s inclusion in Egypt’s World Cup squad is one of the biggest surprises in the final list announced by head coach Hossam Hassan.

The Barcelona youngster joins a 26-man squad led by Mohamed Salah despite having made only a brief appearance for the senior national team.

Abdelkarim to join Flick’s team for pre-season?

Now, according to MARCA, Barcelona will exercise the purchase option on Abdelkarim this summer, following which first-team manager Hansi Flick is considering taking him on pre-season training.

Flick considering calling Hamza Abdelkarim for first-team pre-season. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The teenage striker joined the club on loan from Al Ahly in February, but the Catalans hold a purchase option worth €1.5 million plus add-ons and are fully expected to activate it. Within the club, he is viewed as a major prospect for the future.

His rapid impact since arriving in Spain has only strengthened that belief. In just four months, Abdelkarim scored eight goals in 11 games across league and youth cup competitions, quickly establishing himself as one of the standout performers in Pol Planas’ Juvenil A side.

Given his performances, the teenager could find himself in the first-team pre-season plans under Flick this summer after the World Cup.

World Cup a chance to showcase potential

An exciting talent. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)

Although Hamza has played just once for Egypt’s senior side, featuring for five minutes in a friendly against Russia two days ago, his performances and enormous potential had already convinced many that he would be selected for World Cup.

Those expectations were confirmed on Saturday when Egypt officially named their squad for the tournament in North America.

Barcelona remain committed to securing Abdelkarim’s permanent transfer, and the World Cup could provide an ideal stage for the young striker to further increase both his reputation and market value.