Would Marmoush joining Tottenham be a masterstroke or risk?

August 21, 2026 No Comments

Would Marmoush joining Tottenham be a masterstroke or risk?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Marmoush joined Man City in January 2025 for 70m euros (£59m)ByMohamed MoallimBBC Sport JournalistPublished20 minutes agoTottenham are looking to sign Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, with talks between the clubs progressing.

No agreement has yet been reached, but the Egypt international could become the recent addition to Roberto De Zerbi’s squad, with the north London club’s summer spending looking set to exceed £300m.

Spurs have already spent £229.5m on centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke and midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.

And on Friday it was revealed that they have agreed a £75m deal to sign Manchester City winger Savinho as they look to strengthen their attack.

Spurs forward Dominic Solanke has endured injury problems over the past 18 months, while team-mate Richarlison has entered the final year of his contract.

Marmoush’s influence at City has diminished but the numbers suggest Tottenham would be getting a forward whose skillset differs considerably from their existing options.

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From Frankfurt sensation to City understudy

Joining Eintracht Frankfurt in May 2023 on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, the then 24-year-old Marmoush found form in his first season with the German side scoring 17 times across all competitions.

He then scored 15 Bundesliga goals from 8.9 expected goals (xG) during the first half of 2024-25, while registering nine assists in 17 league appearances. Across all competitions before leaving Germany, he had 20 goals and 13 assists in 26 games.

Set-pieces were another notable part of his game. Marmoush became the first player in Europe’s top five leagues since Lionel Messi in 2019 to score directly from a free-kick in three consecutive competitive matches. Manchester City then paid £59m for him in January 2025.

The early signs were encouraging. Marmoush scored his first career hat-trick against Newcastle, struck the winner in City’s FA Cup quarter-final at Bournemouth and then scored from long range against the same opponents in the Premier League. It was judged to be the goal of the season.

But there were difficult moments too.

With City trailing Crystal Palace in the 2025 FA Cup final, Erling Haaland handed Marmoush the ball for a penalty. His effort was saved by Dean Henderson as City went on to lose at Wembley.

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha does not believe that moment should define Marmoush’s spell at the club.

“When I see Marmoush, I don’t see the penalty miss,” Onuoha told BBC Sport. “I see the strength he has with some of the runs he makes in behind.”

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Why did his role shrink?

Marmoush has scored 16 goals in 62 appearances in all competitions for City since arriving from Frankfurt.

Eight of those came in 36 appearances in 2025-26, but his Premier League involvement fell considerably.

He started only eight league games and played around 700 minutes, fewer than he managed after joining midway through the prior campaign.

His league return was three goals and three assists, with his 3.53 expected goals figure close to his actual scoring output. The issue was therefore not simply finishing.

Marmoush found himself competing for minutes in a side built around Haaland, while City further strengthened their attacking options.

“All the positions Marmoush could play are being filled by people who are specialists in those roles,” reported Onuoha. “Haaland is essentially always going to be the number nine, while City also regularly play with number 10s and Guardiola likes his wingers to stay wide.”

What would Marmoush give Spurs?

Marmoush is primarily a number nine, but he has rarely been confined to one role across the front line.

At Frankfurt he was used predominantly through the middle but also appeared as a second striker and from the left. City have followed a similar pattern, using him mainly as a central attacker while also deploying him from the flank and just behind another forward.

That flexibility could suit De Zerbi. His teams have often relied on forwards changing positions, dropping towards the ball and then attacking the space created when opponents are drawn out. Marmoush is comfortable doing both.

Onuoha sees the Egyptian as most dangerous when he is able to threaten the space beyond the defence.

“As much as he is good dropping towards the ball, I think he is better when he plays on the shoulder,” he reported. “He needs to be in a team that will constantly play balls in behind and force the opposition to run back towards their own goal. That’s when you see a better version of Marmoush.”

Opta’s Premier League numbers from last season show he averaged 11.46 runs in behind per 90 minutes, almost identical to Solanke’s 11.61 and ahead of Richarlison’s 10.03. But he also offered considerably more with the ball.

Marmoush averaged 5.67 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared with 3.24 for Solanke and 2.48 for Richarlison.

He also led both Tottenham forwards for shots, chances created, successful take-ons and touches in the opposition penalty area.

He had 3.86 shots per 90 minutes compared with 2.81 for Richarlison and 1.80 for Solanke, while Marmoush created 1.55 chances against 0.92 and 0.54 respectively.

He also produced 0.77 goals and assists per game, ahead of Richarlison’s 0.69 and Solanke’s 0.27.

The sample is smaller because of his limited league minutes, but the profile is clear.

Marmoush is more inclined to take opponents on and manufacture shooting opportunities for himself than Spurs’ existing central forwards.

That could make him particularly useful when opponents sit deep and deny Tottenham the space to attack directly. Onuoha feels De Zerbi’s style could suit him better.

“Sometimes the fit can simply be better,” he reported. “Marmoush’s ability to run in behind and link the play could be huge assets for Spurs. They won’t be shy about playing those passes into him and forcing opponents on to the back foot.”

Alongside Solanke rather than instead of him?

Marmoush would not necessarily have to replace Solanke.

His experience playing off another attacker creates the possibility of using the pair together, with Solanke occupying central defenders while Marmoush moves into wider areas or drops between the lines.

That may be particularly attractive to De Zerbi because Marmoush can also accelerate into the spaces opened when Tottenham play through an opposition press.

“Solanke is different to Marmoush. He’s got more of a physical presence,” reported Onuoha. “I could see the goalkeeper playing a flat ball into Solanke, Marmoush coming underneath him to receive it, and that becoming the start of the attack.

“The two of them could complement each other. Playing in a front two might bring out more of Marmoush’s strengths.”

Related topics

Football
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