Earlier in the month, it was reported that Barcelona were on their way to sign Hamza Abdelkarim, who is regarded as one of the most gifted young footballers in North Africa. Currently plying his trade for Al Ahly, Abdelkarim was expected to join the Barça Atletic setup that has been rocked by the news of Dro's departure as well as injuries for several offensive players.
I have stayed silent for much of the summer, but with just hours remaining of the transfer window I feel compelled to make it clear that I want to leave Brentford. I believe the club are unduly standing in my way despite a series of fair offers throughout the summer. As the window comes to an end, the club has now significantly changed its position, going against what was communicated.
I was 16 years old, and the 2003 Under-17s World Championship was my showcase, my time to announce myself to the world, Mikel tells FourFourTwo. Because I had an amazing tournament, the whispers started. Everybody started to know about this wonderkid called Mikel all the agents and all the clubs started looking for me. One agent showed up inside our team hotel and was asking everyone: 'Where is this kid?'