Manchester City, reeling from a significant defeat in the Champions League, ramped up its spending to approximately $150 million this week by acquiring Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush on Thursday. This addition aims to provide essential support to their leading striker, Erling Haaland.
The 25-year-old Marmoush transitioned to City from Eintracht Frankfurt for a fee reported to be around 70 million euros ($73 million). His transfer follows the signings of young defenders Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens and Vitor Reis from Palmeiras, who joined the club for a total of $77 million.
With hopes pinned on these recent additions to rejuvenate their campaign, City faces an uphill battle after suffering a 4-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday. This loss leaves the team teetering on the edge of elimination, particularly with only one match remaining in the modified first stage.
Marmoush has enjoyed a stellar season so far, standing second in the Bundesliga’s scoring rankings behind Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, having netted 15 goals in 17 appearances for Frankfurt. Notably, he was absent from Frankfurt’s squad that triumphed 2-0 over Borussia Dortmund, as he was in talks with City. Following the match, he took to the field to bid farewell to the Frankfurt supporters.
This move to City represents a remarkable ascent for Marmoush, who joined Frankfurt on a free transfer earlier this year from Wolfsburg, where he managed just five goals in the previous season.
Regarding integration into Pep Guardiola’s strategy, it remains uncertain how Marmoush will fit in. His most significant contributions this season were as part of a two-forward formation alongside Hugo Ekitiké, formerly of PSG. However, Guardiola typically prefers to deploy a single striker in Haaland. While Marmoush is capable of functioning in wider positions, his impact has been more pronounced in a central role, having recorded six goals and three assists over 35 matches for the Egyptian national team.
In this context, Marmoush appears to be a suitable replacement for Julian Alvarez, the versatile Argentine forward who transferred to Atletico Madrid in August for a deal reportedly exceeding $103 million. Alvarez had been largely overshadowed by Haaland during his tenure at City.
Marmoush is the latest in a series of strikers from Frankfurt to secure lucrative moves to leading European clubs, although such transitions have not always been smooth. Luka Jovic’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2019 was followed by a return on loan within 18 months, and he has since found himself at Milan. Randal Kolo Muani’s departure to PSG in 2023 has also seen him recently loaned to Juventus after struggling for game time under coach Luis Enrique’s leadership.
Guardiola indicated that the club is planning to expedite upcoming signings due to injury setbacks that have plagued the current season. The most significant injury has been to Rodri, the Spanish midfielder and Ballon d’Or winner, who is sidelined for the rest of the season due to an ACL injury. City is also grappling with injuries in defense, as Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Nathan Ake have all faced time away from the pitch. This situation has prompted the acquisitions of Khusanov and Reis, both of whom Guardiola has stated are ready for immediate integration into the squad if needed.
City is currently struggling in the Champions League and finds itself in fifth place in their Premier League title defense, trailing 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool despite having played one more match.
Marmoush expressed his excitement, stating, “This is a day I will never forget. To sign for Manchester City — one of the best teams in the world — is an amazing feeling. I am delighted, my family is so proud, and we are all very happy to be here in Manchester.”
Meanwhile, Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, praised Marmoush, emphasizing, “Omar is an accomplished and exciting forward, and I’m delighted he’s joining us. He’s had an outstanding season, and every time we have watched him, he has influenced matches.” He added, “He possesses the essential qualities of a top-tier attacker: remarkable pace, awareness, and skill in front of goal. His versatility makes him an invaluable asset.”
