Manchester City may not win the Premier League title for the fifth season in a row this term, but Pep Guardiola will be hoping that his side can bounce back by 2025/26.
It has felt like the ending of an era at the Etihad over the previous few months. Off the pace in the title race, losing in the League Cup last-16 and occupying 22nd place in the Champions League table, the FA Cup might be the most realistic chance of silverware.
Despite the poor run of form in recent months, the Spaniard signed a new two-year extension to his contract, suggesting his heart is still in it.
This month could be crucial when it comes to adding some reinforcements to his squad, especially with several areas of the team stagnating of late.
One player who looks certain to be making the move to Manchester before the end of the transfer window is Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush, as a verbal agreement has been reached.
Erling Haaland is the only senior striker in the current squad, placing great strain on him to perform during every game.
Marmoush, therefore, is the perfect signing for Guardiola, especially judging by his record in front of goal this season.
Omar Marmoush’s stats this season
The 25-year-old has been on fire in Germany this season for Frankfurt, scoring 20 goals in just 26 matches for the club in all competitions.
The striker scores once every 97 minutes in the Bundesliga, while he also contributes in other areas, including creating 11 big chances, averaging 2.1 key passes and succeeding with 2.7 dribbles per match in the top flight.
The Egyptian is arguably a better all-around striker than Haaland, and these attributes could perhaps help City get back to their best over the next few months.
When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Marmoush even ranks in the top 1% for shot-creating actions and assists, the top 3% for successful take-ons and in the top 9% for touches in the opposition penalty area.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
These statistics prove that Guardiola is buying one of the finest strikers in Europe. Hopefully, he can be the catalyst needed to spur on the rest of the team.
Metric
Haaland
Marmoush
Goals
16
15
Assists
1
9
Key passes per game
0.9
2.1
Big chances created
2
11
Scoring frequency (minutes)
118
97
Successful dribbles per game
0.5
2.7
Signing such a player won’t come cheap to the Etihad side. According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, City will have to pay a fee of around €80m (£67.5m) to sign the striker this month.
Considering his form during the 2024/25 campaign, there is no doubt that Marmoush is worth a fee in this region, with Frankfurt holding firm in their valuation of their prized asset.
Despite this amount of money being spent by the Spaniard in a bid to improve his squad, there is a player already at the club who is worth even more than Marmoush following a solid start to the season…
The player Man City have struck gold on
In a bid to improve his wide options, Guardiola spent £30m on signing winger Savinho from French side Troyes last summer.
During his loan spell at Girona in 2023/24, he scored 11 goals and grabbed ten assists as they secured qualification for the Champions League after a stunning season in La Liga.
This prompted City to secure his signature from Troyes, who are part of the City Football Group. City director of football Txiki Begiristain said at the time:
“He has a big role to play for Manchester City this season and beyond.
“We are totally confident in his ability. He is still young and has the potential to become even better, and everyone knows that Pep is the best at helping players develop even further.”
So far, he has shown glimpses of his quality in England following his move just seven months ago.
Savinho’s season in numbers
The Brazilian has had plenty of faith placed in him by the manager, starting 19 of his 27 appearances so far this season. During his time on the pitch, the winger has scored once while chipping in with eight assists across all competitions.
During the early part of the season, Savinho received plenty of praise from pundit Paul Merson, who backed the City starlet to become a “superstar” in the future.
“I haven’t seen anything like him for a long time” added Merson when discussing the summer signing, and if he maintains his current form, he can be a star for City over the coming years.
Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the 20-year-old ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries (6.51) and successful take-ons (3.33) per 90, along with ranking in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area (6.77) and assists (0.35) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
His potential is limitless, with the £30m fee that Guardiola paid for him looking like one of the finest bargains in City’s recent transfer history.
Not only that, but Savinho’s market value has soared since making the move to England last summer…
Savinho’s market value at Man City
According to the CIES Football Observatory, when compared to fellow Brazilians in terms of market value, Savinho ranks fifth, ahead of players such as Gabriel, Bruno Guimaraes and Evanilson.
The most impressive aspect? His valuation currently stands at €95.3m (£80.5m), which is due to performing well in England under Guardiola.
Not only does this suggest the club could make a significant profit on him if they so desired, but his value is also more than Marmoush.
They have a genuine sensation in their midst and the manager will hope to give him plenty more game time, which will only see the Brazilian get better and better as time goes on.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
The £40k-per-week starlet could be the next big talisman at City over the next few years. With Guardiola looking to bring in other young talents, is Savinho the future?
Judging by his recent form, he is the present.
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