Omar Marmoush – Man City complete signing of Frankfurt’s prolific Egyptian forward

Market value €60m 

©TM/IMAGO

Omar Marmoush has stood out as one of the Bundesliga‘s brightest stars in the first half of the season for Eintracht Frankfurt. The Egyptian striker, who also has a Canadian passport, has helped his team climb to third in the table after 18 games. With 15 league goals this season, Marmoush is second in the Bundesliga goalscoring charts, only behind England striker Harry Kane (16). After his electric start to the season, Marmoush now joins the likes of Randal Kolo Muani, Luka Jovic, and Sébastien Haller on Frankfurt’s list of club record sales (overview), and has this Thursday been confirmed as a new Manchester City player, signing for the Premier League champions for a €75 million fee.

The 25-year-old Egyptian striker has completed a move to the Etihad Stadium on a four-and-a-half-year deal, meaning he will remain at the Club until the summer of 2029. In a Man City club statement, Marmoush said, “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. With Pep, his technical staff and the world-class facilities here, players have everything they need to improve. That was really enticing for me when I had the chance to come here.” Marmoush becomes Man City’s third signing of a busy January window after completing deals for defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov, and their new forward will wear the no.7 shirt for the Sky Blues. The 25 year old has seen his market value rise from €22m to €60m over the course of this season, as he has cemented himself as one of Europe’s most sought-after attackers.  

Signed on a free transfer from Wolfsburg in 2023, Marmoush’s numbers are impressive. The Egyptian national team forward (35 caps, six goals) has scored every 97 minutes in the Bundesliga this season. Furthermore, across all competitions, Marmoush has scored a total of 20 goals in 26 matches. But it hasn’t just been goals either, with the striker also producing 14 assists across all competitions. Only three strikers have been more productive in Europe’s top five leagues this season (overview).

It is a big step forward for Marmoush, who managed just 12 goals and six assists in 29 Bundesliga games last season. But what has been the reason behind his success this season? “It just has been fun,” Marmoush said when asked about what the difference has been. “We are one big family and celebrate together as a team.” The team factor was also one of the big reasons why the striker—the 13th fastest player in the Bundesliga with a top speed of 35.14km/h—decided to stay in Frankfurt this summer and reject a reported offer from Nottingham Forest. 

That decision looks to have paid off in the long run, despite Forest’s superb start to the Premier League season. Marmoush has been tearing apart Bundesliga backlines, and now signs for one of Europe’s most successful teams in Man City. “It is incredible what he is doing on the pitch,” Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmöller said after the Bayern game in October. “If he keeps playing like that, it will only be a matter of time for other clubs to make offers again.” And Man City haven’t messed around, finally bringing ina  top replacement for Julian Álvarez, who left for Atlético Madrid last summer.