A decisive date for the Alvarez deal: will Egypt's jewel become Barcelona's number one striker?

Barcelona's "new Haaland" quickly turns heads

Barcelona are still hunting for a new striker, and one young name has surged into the conversation inside the squad. He caught the eye in pre-season, opening the door to a bigger role under Hansi Flick.

That name is Hamza Abdelkarim, the 18-year-old Egypt striker. His team-mates have showered him with praise and compared his style to that of Manchester City star Erling Haaland, pointing to his strength inside the box and his knack for getting to goal, according to a report on the young Egyptian by German newspaper Bild under the headline: "Will he become Flick's first-choice striker?"

Two goals on his first-team debut told their own story. Abdelkarim also found the net in the 5-2 friendly win over Basel, quickly proving he has enough to catch the eye of the coaching staff.

Flick was glowing about the youngster: "Hamza is very humble and has a wonderful character. He always gives everything he has, and he possesses great potential. A striker has to be present inside the penalty area, and that is what he did today, which is exactly what I want from a centre-forward."

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Links with Barcelona stretch back to the start of the year. Abdelkarim first played for the under-19 side on loan in the second half of last season, then joined permanently this summer in a deal worth 1.5 million euros.

The Haaland comparison goes back to his youth-team days. His team-mates would chant his name to the tune of Haaland's song, after coach Pol Planas and his assistants showed him clips of the Norwegian and Victor Osimhen to sharpen the way Abdelkarim moves on the pitch.

Bild also report: "Barcelona are still moving to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, with a possible agreement that could be settled before 1 September."

Should that deal stall, though, Abdelkarim would get a genuine shot at Flick's plans. Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have gone, and no other experienced striker sits in the squad.

Flick kept his cards close on his attacking options: "We are focusing on the players we currently have, and we are not thinking about other matters." It is a message that may hint at his willingness to hand the young talent a chance with the first team.

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