For much of the summer, while Tottenham have been wheeling and dealing, it didn’t include attackers. Fast forward, and they’ve added not one but two players from Manchester City, doing a double to add Savio and Omar Marmoush. Savio is already someone who can add plenty to the wings under Roberto De Zerbi, and while Spurs have been linked to a few strikers, on paper, Marmoush will be someone who can create for others while also finishing his own chances.
Because Marmoush is an Eintracht Frankfurt product, Tottenham will have plenty of experience and some post-traumatic stress from Randal Kolo Muani, who was on loan from Juventus last season after also breaking out with the German side. Kolo Muani only scored one goal and assisted one more in Premier League play despite starting 21 games, which is why he’s now back with the Italian side. But Marmoush did have back-to-back seasons with 10 or more goals for the German side before making the move to City, where he’d hit the ground running before last season’s step back, although he also only logged 700 Premier League minutes during the season. It is also worth noting that Marmoush isn’t just a goal scorer; he’s able to play passes off to his teammates or feature on the wing, which would give Tottenham flexibility in their approach in setting up this new-look attack.
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Even with Marmoush’s struggles last season, when you look at his xG overall, it’s clear that he spent some time underperforming but was able to return to form after recovering from a knee injury early in the season. For City, it was also a strange season overall with an ever-shifting squad and the public end of the Pep Guardiola era. While Tottenham are far from the picture of stability under De Zerbi, the club does seem to have a plan for the season and it’s one that involves ensuring that they are nowhere near the relegation zone again. It may be too soon for a push for European soccer, but this is a club looking to bounce back and this addition is part of that.
Tottenham
With Dominic Solanke and Richarlison both struggling for the past few seasons, the need for a striker at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is clear. Unfortunately, getting a consistent striker is quite a tough thing to buy on the market, and almost any player that they brought in at an affordable price range would also bring their own question marks. While Marmoush isn’t free of any, getting someone versatile who has shown that they can perform in big five leagues gives a good chance of this working out. An Egyptian international in his prime, Marmoush will be up for the challenges of what’s ahead while being able to help the team in different ways.
Alongside Savio, Marmoush also brings a dribbling threat to the club and can hit free kicks too. Chance creation was an issue for Tottenham last season, with Pedro Porro’s 52 chances created being the most by a long shot, followed by Xavi Simons and Mathys Tel in the 30s, but the addition of Marmoush will change that. To become unpredictable in attack, multiple players have to be able to set each other up, and that’s something that Marmoush adds in a big way.
A De Zerbi attack is reliant on chances coming quickly and having someone who can take them in stride, and Marmoush adds to the number of players who can do that. Even when it comes to drawing defenders out of position, his dribbling can create nightmares to keep up with as others will crash the box behind him. He comes at a steep price of £50 million which can rise to £ 60 with add-ons, but on paper, this is a move that should work. Grade: B
Manchester City
Who is Erling Haaland’s backup? With Marmoush departing, it’s anyone’s guess, as there isn’t another natural nine on the roster. Antoine Semenyo has played there before, but this still leaves Enzo Maresca light atop the squad as he makes City in his image. Considering that the team has been changing quickly, with Ayyoub Bouaddi being the most recent addition, there’s still time to add another striker to the squad, but right now it’s extremely Haaland-dependent. Considering that Guardiola used false nines at times, that’s another option if someone isn’t added by the transfer deadline, but when looking to close the gap between City and Arsenal atop the Premier League, you don’t want to have major positional questions.
Getting a backup for someone like Haaland, who will play the majority of minutes, is tough to do. But City are a club with resources, and going into Champions League play with only one nine feels like club malpractice. Grade: C
Omar Marmoush
Trading a chance at a Premier League title for a chance at regular playing time feels like a worthwhile shift for the Egyptian. Tottenham are a club that expects to be in the Champions League, so it’s not like Marmoush is losing the chance to face Europe’s elite. If anything, he’s backing himself to be able to pull this club back to the top, which is exactly what you want to see from a striker. Attackers generally enjoy playing for De Zerbi due to the freedom that he allows players, and the case seems no different here compared to life in Manchester. From an athlete’s perspective, there’s a lot to like here. Grade: A
