Has Barcelona Found Its New Number 9 After Lewandowski?

Hamza Abdelkarim stated his case to become FC Barcelona's new number 9 with a brace against Birmingham on Friday.

NurPhoto via Getty ImagesFC Barcelona had a new figure wear its iconic number 9 shirt on Friday against Birmingham, for the first time in the post-Robert Lewandowski.

>With the Pole having joined the Chicago Fire this summer on a free transfer following four highly successful years in Catalonia, the jersey donned by greats such as Luis Suarez, Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldo Nazario is vacant.

>As a reaction to this, we’ve seen what so far look to be failed pursuits of Julian Alvarez - after he reportedly agreed to join the Catalans for five years - and Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi, who’s now out for three to four months amid having to undergo foot surgery.

>Consequently then, Barça might have to look in-house for its next front man, with a candidate stepping forward during Friday’s loss to Birmingham on penalties.

Is Hamza Abdelkarim ready to become Barcelona’s number 9?With his loan deal from Al Ahly made permanent for a bargain $1.7 million (€1.5 million) fee ahead of a World Cup campaign for Egypt, Hamza immediately joined Hansi Flick’s first team group in preseason training upon return to Catalonia.

>As is common every summer, Hamza is part of a select group of reserve and La Masia stars that get the chance to impress the German, and who might remain a part of the senior fold as we’ve previously seen with the likes of Marc Bernal and Marc Casado.

>Through his two goals in a 2-2 regular time draw at St. Andrew’s Stadium, watched by former Birmingham academy product and Real Madrid rival Jude Bellingham, Hamza certainly took a step in the right direction as per becoming a part of the furniture.

>“Hamza is very humble and has a good character. He always tries to do his best and has great potential. As a striker you have to appear in those situations inside the box and today he was there. That’s what I ask of a nine,” said Flick post match.

>While his first strike was a penalty, the second, as implied by the manager, had Hamza pounce in the box. Perfect positioning allowed him to hit home a rebound, when Roony Bardghji’s long range shot was parried into his path.

>SPORT writes that despite his young age of 18, the Egyptian is a “very mature player” with great physical conditions and an “extraordinary goalscoring ability”.

>Barcelona reportedly has no doubt that he will kick on at the Spotify Camp Nou. Yet the question remains as to whether he is the 9 they have been searching for yet failing to deliver in fruitless pursuits on the transfer market - especially when Ferran Torres is being linked to Paris Saint-Germain.

>This article was originally published on Forbes.com