'So much excitement' - Inside the rise of Omar Marmoush as Man City close in on £50m transfer
Omar Marmoush could be a transformative signing for Manchester City on and off the pitch.
The Eintracht Frankfurt forward has been identified by the Blues as a prospective addition this month and City are working on a deal to bring the Egypt international to the Etihad.
The 25-year-old is enjoying a stellar season in Germany having netted 19 in 25 games for Frankfurt to fuel their push for Champions League football next term. On the field he has blossomed into a scoring sensation having had something of a slow start to his senior career. Off the pitch he is the bright hope for the next generation of Egyptian footballers.
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Egypt qualified for the World Cup in 2018 but missed out in Qatar while they fell to a disappointing last 16 exit in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations. But Marmoush has emerged as a key player for the Pharaohs and a move to the Premier League would elevate his superstar status further in his homeland.
"A move to Man City would be massive for Egyptians who are already mad about the Premier League," said Ahmad Yousef, Editor of Egypt-based sports website KingFut.com, speaking to the Manchester Evening News. "There is already so much excitement in Egypt about Omar joining arguably the best football side of the last decade.
"There is a generation of Egyptians who support Liverpool because of Mo Salah and if Omar succeeds at City the next generation of Egyptians will all be Man City fans. It is very poignant that as Mo Salah's Premier League career looks to come to an end there will be another Egyptian attacker making a mark in the Premier League."
The comparisons to Salah are somewhat inevitable even if the Liverpool forward has done his best to distance himself from such conversations in a bid to help Marmoush thrive. And while it would take some doing to match what Salah has achieved in the Premier League, City's prospective signing is on the right track.
"I think he is suited to Man City's style of play and he will be willing to learn from Pep," added Yousef. "Off the pitch Mo Salah has already left a huge mark and it will be a massive challenge for Marmoush to live up to the same levels of off field impact as Salah.
"But Omar and Mo have moved to Man City and Liverpool at similar ages so Omar still has the potential to achieve what Mo Salah did and Mo has paved the way for another Egyptian success story."
Marmoush is a keen follower of fashion away from football and is a relaxed and down to earth person who will often engage with fans. On the pitch he has developed a killer instinct in front of goal having failed to make an impact in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg before exploding onto the scene with Frankfurt having moved there on a free transfer in 2023.
"He is still only 25 years old and I believe he still has further development," said Yousef. "He has always had the talent but not necessarily had the chance to prove himself until his move to Eintracht Frankfurt last season.
"His goal tally last year of 12 (in the Bundesliga) was a big improvement on previous years and it shows he is continuing to improve. He will need to adapt to the Premier League and I think the best thing Pep can do is to continue starting him as soon as he arrives so he can maintain his form.
"He is skilful, direct and fast. When he uses his skill its for a purpose and not just to showboat. He is very good at running at defenders and turning them inside out."
