Newcastle prepare €65m move for Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush

Newcastle United are preparing to make a major move for Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, with the Egypt international’s future at the Etihad Stadium increasingly uncertain during the current summer transfer window.

Marmoush, 27, has attracted interest from several European clubs but has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter since joining City. That has fuelled speculation that he could leave the club, although his next destination remains undecided.

According to CaughtOffside, there is now a genuine possibility of Marmoush moving on this summer after failing to secure a settled place in Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s preferred starting line-up. Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona are also among the clubs understood to be monitoring the striker.

However, progress from the interested clubs has so far been relatively slow. Although Barcelona have a genuine appreciation of Marmoush’s qualities, the forward does not appear to be at the top of their list of priorities.

Barcelona are looking for more affordable ways to strengthen their attack, particularly because a deal for Julian Alvarez would be expensive. That could make Marmoush a more realistic option for the Catalan club.

Tottenham have also included Marmoush in their transfer plans and have held some informal discussions about the player. The London club are currently concentrating on other targets, though, with Savinho and Cody Gakpo understood to be among their leading priorities. That focus has contributed to the slow pace of their interest in the Manchester City forward.

Newcastle are a particularly intriguing option because they have both a clear need for attacking reinforcements and the financial strength to pursue the deal. The club endured a difficult summer in which several of their leading players departed.

Anthony Gordon moved to Barcelona, Sandro Tonali joined Tottenham Hotspur and Bruno Guimaraes completed a transfer to Arsenal. Those sales have generated significant funds for Newcastle and could give them the resources to finance a move for Marmoush while meeting Manchester City’s valuation.

Transfer-market experts and specialists expect City to demand between €60m and €65m for the player. Newcastle are regarded as being in a strong position to meet that figure, potentially giving them an advantage over Barcelona and Tottenham.

A source told CaughtOffside: “Newcastle realise they need to make strong signings to improve their attack; the forwards they signed last summer have not lived up to expectations, there are serious doubts surrounding Nick Woltemade’s future, and Marmoush is high on their list of targets.”

The source added: “The deal will not be cheap, but Newcastle are under pressure to make a major signing of this kind at the moment, especially after the significant financial returns they have made from selling players. There has been no official move yet, but this is certainly something worth following.”

Manchester City are not under any immediate pressure to sell Marmoush. The player could still be required to provide squad depth during the coming season, particularly across a demanding campaign.

Nevertheless, most intermediaries familiar with the Egypt forward’s situation believe City would be prepared to sanction his departure if they received an offer that met their financial expectations.

Newcastle’s interest could therefore make the next stage of the transfer window decisive for Marmoush. With Tottenham and Barcelona also involved, the Premier League club’s greater spending power may prove crucial in the race to sign the Manchester City forward.