With half a season played, red-hot striker Omar Marmoush has put German club Eintracht Frankfurt on course for a first top-four finish in more than 30 years and placed Europe’s elite clubs on high alert during the January transfer window.

Third-placed Frankfurt, who last finished in the Bundesliga’s top four in 1992-1993, sit eight points ahead of Borussia Dortmund but risk being a victim of Marmoush’s scintillating success as the 25-year-old attracts potential suitors from several high-profile European football clubs.

Here’s what you need to know about the promising forward, who is on the verge of superstardom in the football world:

Who is Omar Marmoush?

Born in Cairo in 1999, Marmoush stood out early in the academy of club Wadi Degla in the Egyptian Premier League. At just 17, he was promoted to the first team and joined Wolfsburg’s reserves a year later.

At Wolfsburg, Marmoush initially struggled for consistency and game time, resulting in loans to St Pauli and Stuttgart.

The striker moved to Frankfurt on a free transfer before the 2023-2024 season and scored 12 goals in 29 league games.

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He also struggled to adapt to life in Germany.

According to Marmoush’s agent, the 1.83-metre-tall (6ft-tall) forward’s initial struggles with language and life in Germany laid a foundation for his achievements.

“Marmoush’s command of German, French and English has greatly contributed to his success. He is thriving at Eintracht Frankfurt,” Ahmed Abdoun said.

In 2021, the same year he made his Wolfsburg first team debut, Marmoush – who was also eligible to play for Canada through his father – received his first Egypt call-up.

Making his international debut alongside Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah, Marmoush scored the winning goal against Libya in AFCON qualifying.

How many goals has Omar Marmoush scored?

The Egyptian has enjoyed a stunning 2024-2025 Bundesliga season so far.

Marmoush has scored 15 goals, good enough for second in the league behind Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. He leads Germany’s premier division with 10 assists in 17 Bundesliga games.

He has also scored four goals in the Europa League and one in the German domestic cup competition DFB-Pokal.

In Europe’s top-five leagues, his 25 goal contributions rank second only behind Egyptian compatriot Salah, who has 31, having played three games more.

In international football, Marmoush has scored six goals in 35 appearances for the Pharaohs.

Eintracht Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller says: “Omar always wants to win, regardless of whether it’s a Bundesliga game or a training match.”

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Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany heaped praise on Marmoush after he scored the equaliser in a 3-3 home draw with the German giants in October.

“Marmoush is a player who is only going to get better with time,” Kompany said, praising the forward’s exceptional skills as “not normal”.

What does Salah think of Marmoush?

Marmoush’s development has drawn inevitable comparisons to Salah, but the Liverpool superstar warned against such correlations.

“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,” Salah said in November.

“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.”

Which clubs are interested in buying Marmoush?

The Frankfurt marksman has a contract with the German club until the summer of 2027.

While Marmoush has been playing in Germany since 2017, there has always been a possibility that he might be acquired by one of Europe’s larger clubs.

Multiple media reports have indicated that Manchester City are very interested in buying the striker, which would place Marmoush on the biggest English Premier League title rival to his countryman Salah, who is Egypt’s best-known sporting export.

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It’s been widely reported that City are imminently lining up a move for Marmoush before the transfer window closes on February 3.

Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche has acknowledged that a club “has expressed interest” in the player although he didn’t confirm it was Manchester City. The Premier League champions have been struggling of late under coach Pep Guardiola.

It’s believed that Arsenal, and even Liverpool, may also have interest in acquiring Marmoush.

What price tag have Frankfurt put on Marmoush?

Sky Sports has reported that Frankfurt was demanding an 80-million-euro ($82m) fee for Marmoush, but Krosche also declined to confirm that.

“It doesn’t make any sense to talk about prices,” Krosche said. “Basically, we’ve said our goal is to keep this team together. Of course, we also said if there are exceptional circumstances, we’d have to think about giving away top performers. We’re not there yet.”

It would be the second big transfer coup for Frankfurt in one and a half seasons after selling Randal Kolo Muani in 2023 to Paris Saint-Germain for 95 million euros (then $103m).

Which club will Marmoush join?

The Egyptian’s agent, Abdoun, said a decision will be made based on the final offers from all potential clubs.

“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.”

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