Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has hailed Egyptian youngster Hamza Abdel Karim as one of the club’s brightest prospects, insisting the teenage forward has the talent and mentality to become an important figure at Camp Nou.
Hamza caught the eye after scoring twice in Barcelona’s pre-season friendly against Birmingham City on Friday, although the Catalan side eventually lost on penalties.
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Speaking to Egyptian broadcaster ON Sport Max, Bartomeu praised the young striker’s potential.
“Hamza Abdel Karim has great talent and is a very important player for the club’s future,” Bartomeu said. “He also possesses an outstanding mentality that will help him continue developing and deliver his best in the years ahead.”
Bartomeu also reflected on Barcelona’s past interest in Liverpool star Mohamed Salah during his presidency, describing the Egyptian captain as one of the world’s finest players but admitting a move was never realistic.
“During my time as Barcelona president, our objective was always to sign the best players in the world, and Mohamed Salah was certainly one of them,” he said. “He has been an extraordinary player, producing exceptional performances for Liverpool and breaking numerous records.”
The former Barça chief explained that the club’s iconic attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez made any pursuit of Salah virtually impossible.
“Mohamed Salah is a unique, world-class footballer who has built his own legacy at Liverpool,” Bartomeu added. “However, signing him at that time was extremely difficult because we already had Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez leading our attack.”
Bartomeu’s praise comes as Hamza Abdel Karim continues to impress during Barcelona’s pre-season preparations, with the Egyptian forward emerging as one of the club’s most exciting young talents and a player widely tipped to play a significant role in the team’s future.
