Maresca confirms City will sign replacement if Marmoush follows Savinho to Spurs

Enzo Maresca has confirmed Manchester City will bring in a replacement for Omar Marmoush if the Egyptian forward follows Savinho out of the Etihad this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur having agreed an £85m deal — £75m guaranteed plus up to £10m in add-ons — to sign the Brazilian winger.

Speaking to the media, Maresca drew a clear distinction between the two players’ situations. Savinho, he said, had requested a move from the very first day of the window, whereas Marmoush has so far made no such demand. “Omar is still here, still with us. It’s a different situation to Savio and we see. Savio since day one asked to leave and Omar didn’t ask to leave since day one. Not yet,” Maresca said.

The City head coach acknowledged the difficulty of retaining players who have made up their minds to leave, pointing to Rodri as another example of a player who had been clear about wanting a new challenge. “It’s quite clear when players want to leave for any reason, it is complicated to convince them to stay,” he said. “It becomes complicated to convince them to stay.”

Marmoush’s potential departure would represent a significant blow for City, who have already lost Tijjani Reijnders — who left for similar reasons related to a lack of playing time — while Newcastle are pursuing Nico Gonzalez with the promise of a more prominent role.

Despite the flurry of outgoings and a notable absence of incoming signings, Maresca sought to reassure supporters that the club has a clear plan in place. “I’m not worried, I’m not concerned. Since day one, we know exactly what we need. We are working together with the sporting director, with the club,” he said, adding that the club expects to complete its business before the window closes in early September.

City fans have grown increasingly anxious as the summer has progressed, with Rodri, Savinho and Reijnders all agreeing exits within the space of a week and no new arrivals to offset the losses. A move for Ayyoub Bouaddi remains incomplete, a deal for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is not guaranteed, and reported interest in Palmeiras winger Allan has done little to ease concerns.

Maresca was measured when asked about the number of signings the club intends to make. “We don’t have a minimum number or a maximum number. In case you win games or lose games, we are not going to change our perspective or ideas. We know exactly how many players we need and now we will see in the next 10 days,” he said.