1/23/2025–|Last updated: 1/23/202503:27 PM (Mecca time)
English Manchester City has signed Egyptian international striker Omar Marmoush, coming from Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany, with a contract extending until 2029, according to what the Premier League champions for the past four seasons announced in a statement on Thursday.
The Citizens said that they are happy to sign the 25-year-old Egyptian striker with a contract extending for 4 and a half years, with a deal estimated at 72.6 million dollars, in addition to 5.1 million potential additions.
Marmoush surpassed the Moroccan star, Achraf Hakimi, the French full-back of Paris Saint-Germain, as the most expensive Arab player in history, after the Moroccan moved from Italian Inter to the Parisian club in 2021 for 70 million euros, while Algerian Riyad Mahrez became the third most expensive Arab player by moving from Leicester. City to Manchester City for $69 million in 2018.
City added, “Marmoush is one of the most sought-after young strikers in Europe, and he is capable of playing on either attacking wing.”
In turn, Marmoush expressed his happiness at joining the English champion, saying, “This is a day that I will never forget. Signing with Manchester City, which is one of the best teams in the world, is an amazing feeling. I am happy and my family is very proud of our presence here in Manchester.”
He added, “With Pep (Guardiola), his technical staff and the world-class facilities here, the players find everything they need to develop. This was very tempting for me when I had the opportunity to join.”
He continued, “I cannot deny that I want to win titles. City has been the most successful club in England for many years. So I know that I am joining an environment and culture of winning.”
For its part, the German club said on its website, “Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester City have reached an agreement regarding the immediate transfer of Omar Marmoush.”
Runner-up scorers
Marmoush joined Frankfurt in the summer of 2023, coming from Wolfsburg on a free transfer, and participated in 41 matches in his first season, during which he scored 17 goals and provided 6 assists.
But his brilliance this season by scoring 20 goals and making 14 assists in 26 matches in various competitions, and leading Frankfurt to third place currently in the German League in an unprecedented achievement since the 1992-1993 season, attracted attention to him and made City sign him in the winter transfer market.
The Egyptian international is ranked second in the Bundesliga top scorers with 15 goals, one behind English player Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich striker and top scorer, and he has 25 goalscoring contributions in the league (he scored 15 and passed 10 assists).
Marmoush missed Frankfurt’s last league match, which they won over Dortmund 2-0 on Friday at the opening of the 18th round, in preparation for his transfer to City, noting that he came down from the stands after the end and celebrated with his teammates.
I’m here & I’m ready 🩵
It’s an absolute dream come true to join such an iconic team.
Let’s make history together 🤲🏽 @ManCity pic.twitter.com/gEs8kYKHl6
– Omar Marmoush (@OmarMarmoush) January 23, 2025
Marmoush’s transfer to City, which is suffering this season, comes as it is 12 points behind Liverpool, the leaders in the league, which also has a game in hand. It may also leave the Champions League early after losing to Paris Saint-Germain, France, 2-4, on Wednesday, in the seventh penultimate round.
“Salah II”
In his beginnings, the Egyptian star, born in Cairo in February 1999, rose to prominence early in the Wadi Degla Academy. Ali Abu Jarisha, the former Ismaili club legend and director of the youth sector in Wadi Degla at the time, said about him: “His talent emerged early and he began to be promoted in the youth teams in an age group older than his own because of his talent.”
But his career almost came to an early end because of his father’s desire for his son to focus more on his studies.
Abu Jarisha said, “I was surprised by his father telling me that Marmoush would miss training during the school year because the training schedule conflicted with his school day. Omar was against this decision, so I decided, in agreement with his father and the club management, to assign a coach to train him individually so that we would not lose this talent early.”
A message to you from Omar Marmoush 💬
God willing, your head will be raised pic.twitter.com/ruZjP7QYb9– Manchester City (@Cityarabia) January 23, 2025
In 2016, Marmoush was promoted at the age of 17 to the first team of Wadi Degla under the leadership of French coach Patrice Carteron, then in the summer of 2017 he joined the Wolfsburg reserve team, with whom he continued until his promotion to the first team in January 2021.
However, he faced difficulties in adapting to life in Germany, initially because he was not fluent in the German language, which hindered his rapid progress, in addition to the few playing minutes he received, so Wolfsburg loaned him to St. Pauli and later Stuttgart.
Marmoush had the opportunity to defend the colors of the Egyptian national team for the first time in October 2021 under the leadership of the Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, immediately after he was named the best young player in the “Bundesliga”, before he left a mark in his first international match by scoring a goal against Libya in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
His great brilliance contributed to him being compared to his compatriot Mohamed Salah, but he rejects this comparison, saying: “Salah and I are close friends, and he always helps me with his experiences and I learn from him and I am honored to be with him on the list of the most scored players in the five major leagues, but at the same time I want to achieve special things.” “I don’t want to be Mohamed Salah II. I want to be Omar Marmoush.”
He continued, “Salah advised me to work on my mentality. I thought this matter was not important, but when I did it, it really made a big difference for me.”
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