Tottenham Hotspur delivered their strongest pre-season display on Saturday, brushing aside Hoffenheim in a comfortable 3-0 victory at ease.
Mikey Moore and Richarlison were among the scorers, while Mathys Tel further impressed with two assists during the performance.
The irony was that three players unlikely to feature heavily this season produced Spurs’ most convincing showing of the pre-season period.
Moore’s future at the club depends on incoming transfers, Tel’s situation is similarly uncertain, and Richarlison himself could depart before the window closes.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side have been linked with Cody Gakpo and Savinho as potential upgrades across those attacking positions this summer.
Gakpo brings a proven goalscoring record, having netted 19 times during his final full season at PSV Eindhoven before joining Liverpool midway through 2022/23.
The Dutch forward scored 20 goals across all competitions in his debut half-season in England, followed by 16 in his first full Anfield campaign and 18 as Liverpool won the title in 2024/25.
That kind of consistency has been absent at Spurs, where Dominic Solanke managed just six goals last term and Richarlison contributed 12, an improvement on his miserable five-goal campaign the year before.
Savinho, meanwhile, demonstrated his creative quality in 2024/25 by registering 13 assists in his debut Manchester City season, recording 1.6 key passes per game in the Premier League, second only to Kevin De Bruyne’s 2.1 in the City squad.
However, both players carry question marks, and reports indicate Spurs are exploring alternatives as the transfer window approaches its final stages.
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto has been considered as a Savinho backup option, though the Blues have placed a £100m valuation on the Portuguese winger, making that deal appear unlikely.
A more realistic alternative could be a second Man City attacker in the form of Omar Marmoush, with reports suggesting Spurs are attempting to tie up a double deal for him and Savinho.
The Article, which also broke news of Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes earlier this summer, reports that Marmoush has already agreed personal terms with Spurs on a long-term contract worth around £68m.
Marmoush is more of a goalscorer in the Gakpo mould than a creator like Savinho, and his record in recent seasons illustrates why Spurs are so keen to secure his signature.
During 2025/26 he played just 1,393 minutes at Manchester City but still scored eight goals, averaging one every 174 minutes despite limited opportunities under Pep Guardiola.
His form before joining City in January 2025 was nothing short of extraordinary, with the Egyptian firing 15 goals in 17 Bundesliga matches for Eintracht Frankfurt before finishing the campaign with 28 goals and 17 assists in 51 matches.
Comparing his peak 2024/25 Bundesliga numbers with Gakpo’s Premier League equivalent, Marmoush dominated in virtually every attacking metric per 90 minutes.
Marmoush registered 0.80 non-penalty goals, 4.77 shots, 2.85 successful dribbles, and 2.54 progressive passes per 90 compared to Gakpo’s 0.46, 2.65, 1.44, and 1.86 respectively.
The 27-year-old also offers pace, a powerful shot, and genuine versatility, capable of operating as a centre-forward or across the attacking line to suit De Zerbi’s system.
Those numbers and attributes suggest Marmoush could outperform both Gakpo and Savinho, making him the signing Spurs should prioritise above all others before the window shuts.