Tottenham Hotspur are edging closer to a high-profile move for Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, with club-to-club talks progressing as Roberto De Zerbi looks to reshape his attacking options.
No formal agreement has been reached yet, but the Egypt international is emerging as a key target alongside Savinho, as Spurs’ summer outlay heads beyond £300m.
Transfer context: Spurs’ big-spending summer
Tottenham have already committed around £229.5m in guaranteed fees to three major signings: centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke, and midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
On top of that, they have agreed a deal worth up to £85m (initial £75m plus add-ons) to bring in Savinho from Manchester City, underlining their intent to add pace and creativity in wide areas.
Adding Marmoush would further diversify the front line, especially with Dominic Solanke having struggled with injuries over the past 18 months and Richarlison entering the final year of his contract.
From Frankfurt sensation to City squad player
Marmoush joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer from Wolfsburg in May 2023 and immediately found his footing, scoring 17 goals across all competitions in his first season.
In the first half of 2024–25, he registered 15 Bundesliga goals from 8.9 expected goals (xG) and added nine assists in just 17 league appearances. Across all competitions before his move to England, he posted 20 goals and 13 assists in 26 games, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most efficient forwards.
His set-piece threat was particularly notable: he 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.
That form prompted Manchester City to pay around £59m for him in January 2025.
Early signs at the Etihad were promising. Marmoush netted his first senior hat-trick against Newcastle, scored the winner in City’s FA Cup quarter-final at Bournemouth, and then produced a spectacular long-range strike against the same side in the Premier League, later voted the goal of the season.
However, his spell also included tough moments. With City trailing Crystal Palace in the 2025 FA Cup final, Erling Haaland handed him the ball for a penalty; Dean Henderson saved, and City lost at Wembley.
Former City defender Nedum Onuoha argues that miss should not define his tenure: “When I see Marmoush, I don’t see the penalty miss. I see the strength he has with some of the runs he makes in behind.”
Why his role shrank at Manchester City
Since arriving from Frankfurt, Marmoush has recorded 16 goals in 62 appearances in all competitions for City.
In 2025–26, he managed eight goals in 36 games, but his Premier League involvement dropped sharply. He started only eight league matches and played roughly 700 minutes, less than in the half-season after his January 2025 arrival.
His league output was three goals and three assists, with an xG of 3.53 closely matching his actual tally, suggesting the issue was not poor finishing but limited opportunities.
Competition for places was intense in a side built around Haaland, while City continued to strengthen their attack. Onuoha notes: “All the positions Marmoush could play are being filled by people who are specialists in those roles. 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 Marmoush would give Tottenham
Marmoush is primarily a number nine, but he has rarely been confined to one role. At Frankfurt, he operated mainly through the middle but also featured as a second striker and from the left. City used him similarly: mostly as a central attacker, with deployments from the flank and just behind another forward.
That versatility aligns well with De Zerbi, whose systems often rely on forwards interchanging positions, dropping towards the ball, and then attacking the space created when opponents are drawn out. Marmoush is comfortable doing both.
Onuoha believes the Egyptian is most dangerous when he can attack 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 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.”
Alongside Solanke, not necessarily instead of him
A move for Marmoush does not automatically mean replacing Solanke. His experience playing off another striker opens the possibility of using the pair together: Solanke occupying centre-backs, while Marmoush drifts into wider areas or drops between the lines.
That setup could appeal to De Zerbi, given Marmoush’s capacity to accelerate into spaces created when Tottenham play through an opposition press. Onuoha explains: “Solanke is different to Marmoush. He’s got more of a physical presence. 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.”
Verdict: Masterstroke or risk?
For Tottenham, the Omar Marmoush transfer represents a calculated gamble:
- Upside: A versatile forward with strong xG-overperformance history, excellent set-piece ability, and a statistical profile that adds progressive carries, chance creation, and goal threat beyond what Solanke and Richarlison currently offer.
- Risk: He has been a squad player at City, with limited Premier League minutes last season, and must prove he can deliver consistently as a key figure in a De Zerbi system under heavy expectation.
If Spurs can secure him at the right fee and integrate him as part of a fluid front two or rotating front three, Marmoush could be a masterstroke that gives De Zerbi a different attacking dimension. If he remains a peripheral figure or fails to adapt quickly, the deal could look like an expensive risk in an already record-breaking window.
