Manchester City roared back into some form over the weekend, coming from a goal down to eventually prevail over Chelsea with a 3-1 victory.
The win moves the club up to fourth place in the Premier League table, although they still trail runaway leaders Liverpool by 12 points, with the Anfield side having a game in hand.
Winning the league title might be out of their reach, but Pep Guardiola has used the January transfer window to sign a few players who could send the club into a new era.
Omar Marmoush was given his first start for the Etihad side against the Blues. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but there is no question just how good a signing he could go on to be over the next few years.
Omar Marmoush’s game in numbers vs Chelsea
The Egyptian striker joined the Manchester side for a fee in the region of £59m in order to provide Erling Haaland with some competition up front.
Having scored 20 goals in just 27 games for Eintracht Frankfurt prior to his move to England, Marmoush had established himself as one of the finest centre-forwards in Europe.
Accurate passes
Manuel Akanji (84)
Ground duels won
Enzo Fernández and Mateo Kovacic (6)
Key passes
Erling Haaland (3)
Shots on target
Erling Haaland and Nicolas Jackson (2)
Tackles
Mateo Kovacic (4)
Against Chelsea, Guardiola perhaps rather surprisingly gave the Egpytian star his first start, unleashing the 25-year-old on the left wing, hoping that he could replicate the form he had displayed in Germany over the previous few months.
It was a solid enough debut for Marmoush, who registered two shots during his time on the pitch, while attempting two dribbles, creating one big chance and making one key pass for City.
It was definitely an eye-catching start and one that Guardiola will hope continues over the next few games as the club seek to go on a winning run which will claw back ground on Liverpool.
Indeed, challenging for trophies and appearing regularly in the Champions League were, of course, massive incentives for Marmoush to make the move from Germany to England.
While these are what a footballer wants in their career, making the most money possible as they are performing at the highest level is another major incentive.
Upon joining City, the former Frankfurt striker soon one of the highest-paid players at the club, earning a staggering £295k-per-week at the Etihad.
Compare this to the £32k-per-week he was taking home during his spell with the Bundesliga side, and it becomes clear why a move to City was his preferred destination.
£295k a week is astronomical, but if Marmoush delivers on the pitch, then the manager will consider it money well spent.
That said, one player is taking home more than this every week, but failing to contribute effectively during games…
Man City must sell high-earner who takes home more than Marmoush
With just one week left of the January transfer window, might Guardiola sell Jack Grealish?
Since arriving at the Etihad for £100m way back in 2021, the attacker hasn’t quite managed to live up to this lavish transfer fee, that’s for sure.
Yes, he may have played a part in the club’s treble success during the 2022/23 season, but was he worth £100m? That remains to be seen depending on who you ask.
It now appears as though his immediate future is uncertain at City. According to the Sun, a whole host of clubs are reportedly chasing a move for the Englishman before the window slams shut.
Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are keen on keeping Grealish in England.
It isn’t just clubs in the Premier League who are showing interest, however. Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund could be attractive options for the attacking midfielder as he eyes a new start.
With Marmoush now joining City, might this tempt Guardiola into selling Grealish this month?
Jack Grealish's season in numbers
The 29-year-old has featured just 22 times for the Manchester club this season, yet he has managed to start only 11 of those matches.
During his time on the pitch, Grealish has scored twice – one was a penalty against Salford in the FA Cup – while registering four assists in all competitions.
Those are hardly the contributions in the final third that Guardiola is looking for, especially with his team trailing in the Premier League and struggling in the Champions League.
Previously hailed as a “superstar” by presenter Dan Bardell during his final season with Aston Villa, but this praise has certainly worn off over the previous 12 months.
Across his 15 appearances in the Premier League, Grealish has created just two big chances, averaging 1.5 key passes per game while also succeeding with 0.9 dribbles per game.
The midfielder averages just 32.1 touches each match in the top flight, while he manages only 0.3 shots on target for City per match.
This is not ideal for a club chasing yet more success, and Grealish even earns more than their new signing Marmoush, despite failing to offer much during matches.
Kevin De Bruyne is the top earner at the club, taking home £400k-per-week, but Grealish isn’t far off, coming home as the joint-third highest earner at the Etihad, earning a staggering £300k-per-week.
This is even more than Marmoush and, given how well the respective players have performed this season, the striker should be taking home more than the Englishman, that’s for sure.
The transfer window closes in a week, which doesn’t leave long for Guardiola to get things in motion regarding player sales, but if there are teams interested, then Grealish should be his main priority over the next few days.
He won’t be able to recoup the £100m that the club paid three and a half years ago, but getting a decent fee for the attacking midfielder, plus getting his massive wages off the bill, would certainly go down as a major success. The next seven days could be very interesting indeed.
Better signing than Kimmich: Man City could land £70m Luiz alternative
Man City are interested in a move for a Serie A midfielder
2 ByRoss KilvingtonJan 26, 2025