Barcelona's Striker Dilemma: Hamza Abdelkarim Impresses

Barcelona are edging closer to tying up deals for Joao Cancelo and Rodri this week, but one problem still hangs over the club: there is no new striker in sight.

The chase for Julian Alvarez has stalled. Atletico Madrid are standing firm, unwilling to lose one of their key men, and the talks have barely moved. With time ticking on the window, that standstill has forced Barcelona to widen the search.

Names like Viktor Gyokeres have entered the conversation, a classic big-ticket solution from outside. Yet inside the club, another path is quietly taking shape – one that leads straight to Hamza Abdelkarim.

Hamza’s trial leaves a mark

Mundo Deportivo report that Hamza has turned heads almost from the moment he set foot on the training pitch. In his very first sessions, the young Egyptian forward showed what coaches crave but cannot teach: a natural feel for goals.

Barcelona’s staff put him through a special finishing session, designed to stress-test his instincts in front of goal. He responded with variety and conviction – curling shots into the far corner, sharp finishes at the near post, the kind of predatory touches that separate strikers from forwards who merely fill the role.

One early header, in particular, jolted those watching. The power, the timing, the execution – all of it hinted at raw, serious potential. For a club scouring Europe for a No. 9, that kind of in-house surprise is not easily ignored.

Shaping a penalty-box predator

The talent is there, but Barcelona’s coaches see a clear area to refine.

At the beginning of his trial, Hamza noticed how Barça’s forwards often drop into midfield to link play. He started copying that behaviour, drifting away from the box in search of the ball. It looked intelligent on the surface, but it pulled him away from where he is most dangerous.

Pol Planas and his staff stepped in. Their message: only leave the area when the move truly demands it. Otherwise, live in the box.

To drive that point home, they turned to video. Clips of Erling Haaland, Viktor Gyokeres and Barcelona icon Samuel Eto’o have become reference material, showing Hamza how elite penalty-box strikers move, when they hold their position, and how they attack space in the final metres.

The idea is simple and ruthless: keep him close to goal, keep him where he can hurt teams. Hansi Flick is following the same line with him, applying a clear, box-focused approach to his development.

For Barcelona, it is an intriguing option. If the pursuit of a marquee striker fails to deliver before the window closes, the club may not have to look across the continent for a solution. They might just decide to trust the instincts of a young Egyptian learning to live where it matters most – inside the penalty area.