Hamza keeps scoring, Barça keep searching. The preseason top scorer is 18
FC Barcelona have officially confirmed Hamza Abdelkarim as the team’s leading scorer in preseason. The Egyptian struck four times, accounting for 40 per cent of Barça’s entire goal tally. The club can therefore continue searching for a striker in peace. They already have one, but apparently he arrived without a sufficiently impressive price tag.
The 18-year-old completed his preseason with a goal against Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy. In the 29th minute, he converted Alejandro Balde’s delivery to open the scoring in Barcelona’s 2-1 victory. He refused to celebrate against his former club, but did everything else required to make himself impossible to ignore.
It was his first appearance for the senior side at Spotify Camp Nou and his first goal at the stadium. More importantly, it was not a one-off moment created especially for the occasion.
Hamza began preseason by scoring twice against Birmingham City. He then found the net in Basel after spending only four minutes on the pitch. His fourth goal arrived against Al Ahly. Barcelona scored ten times throughout their preparations, with Hamza finishing ahead of Jesse Bisiwu and Raphinha, who scored twice each. Karim Adeyemi and Lamine Yamal contributed one goal apiece.
This was not the story of a young player accidentally standing in the right place for one cross. Hamza received regular opportunities, started matches and used his minutes far better than anyone could reasonably have demanded. He even cut short his holiday following his involvement with Egypt at the World Cup to join Barcelona’s preseason preparations early.
Seven players made their first Barça appearance at Spotify Camp Nou during the Joan Gamper Trophy: Karim Adeyemi, Hamza Abdelkarim, Jesse Bisiwu, Brian Fariñas, Orian Goren, Jordi Pesquer and Anthony Gordon. Hamza was the only one to combine that debut with a goal.
And this is where the story becomes unmistakably Barcelona.
Hansi Flick is still waiting for a traditional number nine, while Deco has publicly admitted that the club are working on replacing Robert Lewandowski. The sporting director has mentioned internal solutions, but Barcelona continue to examine the transfer market. Lautaro Martínez became one of the latest names under consideration, only for Inter to respond that their captain is not for sale at any price. No official offer has even reached Milan.
For now, Flick’s only natural centre-forward is therefore an 18-year-old whom the club are praising for scoring four goals while simultaneously checking whether a more glamorous solution can be purchased elsewhere.
That does not mean Hamza should immediately become the first-choice striker or carry the responsibility of replacing Lewandowski. Preseason is not La Liga, and a handful of good performances guarantees nothing. Still, it is difficult to present a stronger case than scoring four of the team’s ten goals.
Barcelona begin their league campaign away to Elche on Sunday. That match may provide the first indication of whether the preseason top scorer genuinely has a place in Flick’s plans or was simply a pleasant summer story before the club makes another expensive attempt to find someone who plays in exactly the same position.
