Tottenham Hotspur’s summer rebuild has already carried a hard defensive edge. The next question for Roberto De Zerbi is whether the attack can be made just as flexible.
That is why the fresh link with Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush is more than another name on an expanding transfer list. Sports Mole, citing Nicolo Schira, reports that Tottenham have registered interest in the Egypt international, with De Zerbi described as a genuine admirer of his profile and City understood to value him at around £53m.
After moving early for Premier League-ready defensive pieces, Spurs now have to decide what kind of forward line best suits De Zerbi’s possession game. Marmoush would not be a pure centre-forward signing. He is a runner, connector and penalty-box threat who can operate across the front line, which makes him interesting in a Tottenham attack that has lacked variation when games become locked.
Excl. – #Tottenham have shown interest in #ManchesterCity’s striker Omar #Marmoush, who could leave
— Nicolo Schira (@NicoSchira) June 25, 2026
Why Marmoush Fits The De Zerbi Brief
De Zerbi’s best teams have carried threat through rotation rather than fixed positions. At Brighton, wide players stepped inside, forwards dragged centre-backs away from the box and midfielders attacked the lanes created by those movements. Tottenham’s interest in Savinho has already pointed toward that direction, but Marmoush would give the idea a different edge.
The 27-year-old is not just a wide dribbler. Manchester City signed him from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025 on a contract to 2029 after his rise in Germany, and his Premier League profile underlines why he still carries market weight. The Premier League’s own records list him with 21 appearances, including 13 as a substitute, three goals and three assists in the 2025/26 campaign.
Those numbers are modest in isolation, but the context matters. At City, Marmoush has had to fight for minutes in a front line built around Erling Haaland and a deep stock of ball-dominant creators. At Tottenham, his value would be measured differently: whether he can stretch the pitch, press with bite and give De Zerbi a forward who can start from the left, run beyond the striker or become the striker when the game state demands it.
That versatility would matter because Spurs cannot simply buy another expensive attacker and hope the structure fixes itself. They need cleaner occupation of the half-spaces, more decisive runs beyond the last line and a way to keep Mathys Tel, Dominic Solanke and any new wide signing from blocking each other’s best zones.
The Price Test Is Really A Squad-Building Test
A £53m valuation would place Marmoush below the most extreme fees Tottenham have been linked with this summer, but still high enough to demand certainty. This is not a punt. It would be a calculated bet that a player squeezed by City’s depth can become a bigger-volume attacker in north London.
That is where De Zerbi’s influence becomes critical. The Guardian reported when he arrived that Spurs were attracted by the extent to which he would be allowed to shape the squad. Marmoush would test that promise in a very specific way. He is not the safest market profile, but he fits a coach who wants forwards capable of interpreting space quickly rather than waiting for rigid service.
There is also a timing element. Tottenham have already moved fast on defensive additions, but the attack still needs a final identity. If Savinho is the touchline accelerator, Marmoush is the multi-lane runner. If De Zerbi wants a front line that can change shape without changing personnel, that distinction matters.
The risk is obvious: Tottenham could overpay for a player who has not commanded a full starting role at City. The upside is just as clear: they could buy a forward entering his peak years, hardened by elite training standards and ready for the responsibility that City may not be able to offer.
For De Zerbi, Marmoush would be less about headline glamour than tactical elasticity. Tottenham have spent the opening part of the window rebuilding the back of the team. This link asks whether they are ready to make the front line smarter, faster and far less predictable.
