Why £30m Spurs target could be another Omar Marmoush in the making

The forward line that began the day away at the Gtech is unlikely to be seen again, you’d imagine, with Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi now blessed with increased depth following an end-of-window splurge.

Savinho, or Savio, has already made his mark following an eye-catching debut against Charlton Athletic, the Brazilian hopefully set to prove worth the wait following a year of speculation and admiring glances.

The 22-year-old has now been joined in north London by ex-Manchester City colleague, Omar Marmoush, the Egyptian, like Savio, in need of a fresh start, having become something of a forgotten figure back at the Etihad.

He’s a relative unknown quantity in Premier League terms, but under De Zerbi’s watch, don’t be surprised to see Marmoush explode at N17 this season.

Why Marmoush’s Bundesliga record should have Spurs excited

Let’s face it, Spurs haven’t moved for Marmoush based on what’s shown in a Man City shirt, the 27-year-old having been a bystander to proceedings over the past year or so.

It was only really in his first six months at the club that the former Eintracht Frankfurt talisman really caught the eye, having scored seven in his first 14 Premier League starts after signing in January 2025.

Pep Guardiola and co had snapped up the £63m man that winter off the back of his stunning Bundesliga exploits, with Marmoush almost coming from nowhere to emerge as a real force in German football.

Allowed to move on from Wolfsburg on a free transfer in 2023, he made his former club pay for that decision, going on to score and assist 57 goals in just 67 games for his new side.

That spell at Frankfurt notably saw Marmoush enjoy a rampant start to the 2024/25 campaign, prior to his City switch, having scored 15 times in just 17 Bundesliga games, alongside registering a further eight assists.

Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

In that six-month streak, he also created 11 ‘big chances’, averaged 2.1 key passes per game and enjoyed a standout record of 2.7 successful dribbles per game, proving such a handful in his fluid number nine role.

Only 16 goals in 62 games for City have followed, but a certain Erling Haaland has had plenty to do with that, with a more prominent role for Marmoush, like he had at Frankfurt, potentially set to see him soar in a Tottenham shirt.

Let’s hope he’s not the only one.

How Spurs could sign another Marmoush

Savio? Done. Marmoush? Done. A busy end to the window it has been for Spurs and ENIC so far, but De Zerbi appears hell-bent on signing at least one more forward.

Indeed, the defeat to Brentford showcased just how light they are in that department, with there still a feeling that Richarlison could depart before the deadline, amid his expiring contract at the club.

Marmoush appears to be an upgrade through the middle, yet if Spurs also want to sign a more natural number nine, then Freiburg’s Igor Matanovic could well be the man.

As reported by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, the Lilywhites are set to battle it out with Manchester United for the 23-year-old’s signature, with fellow suitors Fiorentina seemingly pivoting to Joshua Zirkzee instead.

Football FanCast exclusively reported earlier this month that United were eyeing a move for the Croatian as a potential alternative to Victor Osimhen, with a fee of around £30m likely to be needed to strike a deal.

He’s certainly not a household name, yet the towering marksman could represent something of a bargain as far as ENIC are concerned, having already shown flashes of what he can do back in Germany.

In the view of talent scout Jacek Kulig, he is “one of the most interesting young strikers in Europe”, a truly eye-catching figure at 6 foot 5.

Now, he’s not the same profile of player as Marmoush, but his recent rise bears similarities to the Egyptian’s own journey in the Bundesliga, both at one stage sent out on loan to St Pauli in the second tier.

A former teammate of Marmoush at Frankfurt, Matanovic’s time at the club almost mirrors the ex-Man City man at Wolfsburg, with that move failing to work out as he scored just one goal in 16 Bundesliga games.

Like when Marmoush headed to Frankfurt, it has taken a change of scenery for the young striker to truly showcase what he’s all about, scoring 18 goals in his first 53 games for Freiburg.

It’s proven a particularly fruitful start to the new season too, much like Marmoush back in 2024/25, with Matanovic already scoring three in three games, netting in the recent clash with Motherwell.

REUTERS/Miguel Vidal

For a potential fee of just £30m, this feels like a particularly astute deal to pursue for Spurs and for De Zerbi.