Omar Marmoush: The Rising Egyptian Star Attracting European Attention

Omar Marmoush is making waves in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, but the Egyptian forward's rise to stardom has drawn comparisons with Mohamed Salah, which the Liverpool star warns against.

Omar Marmoush's exceptional performance this season has propelled Eintracht Frankfurt towards a potential top-four finish in the Bundesliga, their first in over 30 years. With 15 goals and 10 assists in 17 league games, Marmoush trails only Harry Kane in the Bundesliga scoring charts. His impressive form has caught the attention of European giants, sparking speculation about a possible winter transfer, with Manchester City reportedly interested in his services.

Marmoush's 25 goal contributions in Europe's top-five leagues rank second only to Mohamed Salah, who has 31 contributions in three more games played. As Frankfurt prepares to host Borussia Dortmund on Friday, they sit comfortably in third place, eight points ahead of last season's Champions League finalists. However, Frankfurt's success may come at a cost, as they risk losing Marmoush to a bigger club.

While Marmoush has been playing in Germany since 2017, it is clear that he has ambitions to join one of Europe's elite clubs. His remarkable season has put him firmly on the radar of top teams, and a move away from Frankfurt may be on the horizon.

Rising Star

Omar Marmoush, born in Cairo in 1999, demonstrated exceptional talent from a young age, standing out in the academy of club Wadi Degla. At just 17, he was promoted to the first team and joined Wolfsburg's reserves a year later. However, Marmoush initially struggled to find consistency and game time at Wolfsburg, leading to loans to St Pauli and Stuttgart. He also faced challenges adapting to life in Germany, including a language barrier. Marmoush recalled his difficulties in everyday situations, such as ordering coffee, saying he would “stand near the counter at coffee shops and wait until he saw the order he wanted, before pointing and telling the waiter he wanted the same.”

Marmoush's agent, Ahmed Abdoun, attributed the player's current success to the lessons learned from these early struggles. “Marmoush's command of German, French and English has greatly contributed to his success. He is thriving at Eintracht Frankfurt,” Abdoun said. With Marmoush's impressive performance sparking interest from top clubs, Abdoun acknowledged that the Bundesliga is often a stepping stone to bigger leagues. “The Bundesliga has always been a stepping stone to the big leagues like the Premier League or La Liga. If there are any offers, we will discuss them with the club and make the best decision,” he added.

A Star in His Own Right

Omar Marmoush's international career began in 2021, the same year he made his Wolfsburg first-team debut. He received his first Egypt call-up and made his international debut alongside Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. Marmoush scored the winning goal against Libya in AFCON qualifying, marking a promising start to his international career.

🚨🔵 Omar Marmoush to Manchester City, here we go! Deal in place with Eintracht Frankfurt after final round of talks.

Five year deal agreed with Egyptian forward who wanted to join Man City.

ℹ️👀 Vitor Reis, Khusanov… and now Marmoush. pic.twitter.com/FIzlss8AGs

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 16, 2025

Marmoush's club career has also been on the rise since he moved to Frankfurt on a free transfer ahead of the 2023-24 season. He scored 12 goals in 29 league games in his first season and has continued to improve this season. His performance has drawn praise from coaches, including Vincent Kompany, who said after a match in October: “Marmoush is a player who is only going to get better with time... His skill is not normal.”

As Marmoush's star continues to rise, comparisons with Mohamed Salah have been inevitable. However, Salah has warned against such comparisons, saying in November: “Omar has great potential and is an important player for his team and the national team currently, but I hope we stay away from the idea of comparisons because it will put him under pressure... Do not compare him to me, do not say the 'new Mohamed Salah', let him live his career. Comparing a player at the beginning of his career with another who has achieved a lot over many years does not help him.” Despite Salah's warnings, a potential move to Manchester City would likely draw further comparisons between Marmoush and Egypt's most famous sporting export.