How Omar Marmoush Can Guide Manchester City to Premier League’s Top Four
Despite winning the Premier League title for the 2023-2024 season, Manchester City’s unexpected decline this season has raised eyebrows among football fans. As the 2024-2025 season unfolded, it became clear that the defending champions were struggling, facing a notable drop in form and a series of poor performances.
Discussions swiftly shifted from how many points were needed to achieve a top-four finish before January to urgent questions about what went wrong in December. Recognizing the need for immediate action, Manchester City aggressively entered the winter transfer market to bring in key players who can propel them back into the top four of the Premier League.
The club made critical acquisitions, investing in:
- Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt) – €75 million
- Abdukodir Khusanov (RC Lens) – €40 million
- Vitor Reis (Palmeiras) – €37 million.
With these strategic signings, Manchester City is poised to reclaim its status among the league’s elite. During this recruitment phase, Omar Mamoush emerged as one of the most sought-after players in the winter transfer window. Before his £59 million transfer to Manchester City, Marmoush scored 20 goals in 26 games, surpassing his record of 17 goals from the previous season (2023-2024). This impressive performance not only made him a highly coveted player but also positioned Manchester City to outbid Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United for his signature, all in hopes of securing a top-four finish.
Let’s take a closer look at how Marmoush’s tactical profile can contribute to Manchester City’s mission to regain a top-four position.
About Omar Marmoush:
Omar Marmoush was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1999. He began his professional career at Wadi Deglain at age 17. He made his professional debut for Wadi Degla in the Egyptian Premier League on 8 July 2016, coming on as a substitute in the match against Al Ittihad Alexandria Club, which finished as a 3–2 win. Marmoush went on to make 16 league appearances for the club, netting a total of 2 goals.
After one year in Egypt, Marmoush made the significant decision to join Wolfsburg in Germany, officially transferring on August 31, 2017. Initially, he played for Wolfsburg’s reserve team in the Regionalliga and Under-19 Bundesliga, making an impressive impact by scoring 3 goals in 3 matches, totaling 217 minutes of play.
He also participated in the Premier League International Cup with the reserve team before advancing to the senior squad of Wolfsburg for the Bundesliga season in 2019/20, marking the beginning of his professional career in Europe.
Omar Marmoush demonstrated significant promise during his time at St. Pauli, where he made 21 appearances, accumulated 1,543 minutes on the pitch, and scored 7 goals while competing in Bundesliga 2. Although his strong performance did not secure a permanent stay, his return to Wolfsburg in 2020 provided him with an opportunity to further develop his skills, even though he primarily played in the lower ranks initially.
His loan to Stuttgart in 2021 proved to be a pivotal moment in his career, allowing him to play 21 matches and score 3 goals, which helped him gain valuable experience and confidence.
In 2022, returning to Wolfsburg, he collected 5 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances and added another goal in the DFB Pokal, showing steady progress.
In 2023, Marmoush transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt, where he truly began to flourish. In his first season, he played a crucial role by scoring 12 goals in 29 appearances and contributing 1 goal in 3 DFB Pokal matches, as well as 4 goals in 9 UEFA Conference League appearances. This success highlights his growth as a player and his ability to make an impact in various competitions. Before his move to Manchester City, Marmoush enjoyed a standout 2024/25 season, tallying 15 goals in the Bundesliga, 4 goals in the UEFA Europa League, and 1 goal in the DFB Pokal. These achievements reflect his evolving talent and potential as he takes the next step in his career.
Tactical Profile:
Omar Marmoush is an explosive and versatile right-footed attacker. While he typically plays as a striker, he can also effectively operate in wide areas as a winger. Marmoush’s direct style of play stands out, utilizing his acceleration and speed to challenge opposing defenses and create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
His ability to strike the ball cleanly, with both power and accuracy, makes him a consistent threat around the box. His growing collection of free-kick goals further demonstrates his expanding skill set and adaptability on the field.
He can operate as a central forward as well as a winger. He utilizes his quickness and speed, along with intelligent movement and reactive instincts, to pose a threat in various attacking situations.
In Marmoush, a poacher also exists within the box. He adjusts his body well to take difficult chances that often leave him unbalanced when making contact with the ball. In tough scenarios, he uses exceptional agility and balance to take opportunities first time.
He can use multiple touches and body feints to create a line of sight to finish around and away from defenders. He poses a significant threat with his pace. However, he is also capable of dropping in to receive, and he can manipulate possession in tight spaces between the opposition’s defensive and midfield lines. This is particularly useful against compact low-block defenses.
He thrives in wide areas, commonly playing as a left winger for both club and country within formations such as 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and 3-4-3. His one-on-one capabilities and dribbling ability show his readiness to confront defenders, employing his technical and physical skills to progress the play and contribute to his team’s success.
His key strength is his unpredictable body movements. He will shift his weight two or three times before accelerating past defenders when they have become unbalanced and committed their body weight in one direction. He will exaggerate movements to disguise his intentions, using chops and step-overs before explosively changing direction. His ability to cut inside with his right foot and create opportunities for shooting is what makes him most dangerous.
When Marmoush is off the ball, he effectively becomes an aggressive presser. His impressive acceleration challenges opposing players, giving them limited time to make decisions, which can lead to mistakes. This creates opportunities for him to regain possession, especially when opponents make slow passes or struggle with their ball control.
His versatility is a significant asset, allowing him to excel in pressing roles, whether he is functioning as a lone striker or as part of a front two. By harnessing these strengths, he can further enhance his impact on the game.
He effectively utilizes pressing from the outside to the inside when making runs as a winger. Additionally, by applying pressure on wide passes, he can strategically pin opposition full-backs against the touchline, enhancing team dynamics and defensive solidity.
What will Marmoush add to Manchester City’s adventure for the top 4?
Omar Mamoush’s tactical profile has the quality and balance he will add to the attack, but the main question is the assurance that the purchase of Marmoush will push Man City’s top-four chase, as he has proven this quality in the game against Chelsea and Arsenal. Marmoush will add some balance to the attack and, likewise, some creativity on the flank; he will be crucial to Manchester City securing points, combining well with the midfield and attack. The purchase of Marmoush will be pivotal if Manchester City harnesses a strong midfielder along with creative players to support the team.
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