Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi has been busy in the final stretch of the transfer window, bolstering his forward line with some significant additions.
Brazilian winger Savinho made an immediate impression following his eye-catching debut against Charlton Athletic, providing early signs of the quality Spurs were waiting for.
The 22-year-old has been joined in north London by former Manchester City teammate Omar Marmoush, with both players arriving in need of a fresh start.
Marmoush, 27, may be a relatively unknown quantity to Premier League audiences, but De Zerbi’s system could be exactly what the Egyptian needs to rediscover his best form.
Tottenham’s decision to pursue Marmoush was not based on his contributions in a City shirt, where he largely remained a peripheral figure over the past year or so.
His best early form came in the first six months at the Etihad, scoring seven times in his first 14 Premier League starts after joining in January 2025 for £63m.
Pep Guardiola had moved for Marmoush on the back of an extraordinary spell at Eintracht Frankfurt, where he emerged as one of the most dangerous attackers in German football.
Having left Wolfsburg on a free transfer in 2023, Marmoush made his former club pay dearly, contributing 57 goals and assists across just 67 games for Frankfurt.
His 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign before the City switch was particularly stunning, producing 15 goals in 17 league games alongside eight assists in that period.
During that same purple patch, Marmoush created 11 big chances, averaged 2.1 key passes per game, and registered 2.7 successful dribbles per game in a fluid number nine role.
Only 16 goals in 62 games followed at City, with Erling Haaland’s dominance inevitably limiting Marmoush’s opportunities in a more prominent central position.
The statistics from his peak Frankfurt form highlight how dangerous Marmoush can be when given the trust and responsibility of leading an attack, something De Zerbi is likely to offer.
Across Europe’s big five leagues in 2024/25, Marmoush finished joint fourth for combined goals and assists with 34, level with Kylian Mbappe and behind only Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, and Mateo Retegui.
That elite company suggests that, given regular football and the right environment, Marmoush has the ceiling to compete with the very best forwards on the continent.
If Spurs are also looking to add a more natural number nine, Freiburg’s Igor Matanovic has emerged as a target, with the striker reportedly valued at around £30m.
The defeat to Brentford exposed a lack of depth in Tottenham’s forward line, with uncertainty surrounding Richarlison’s future adding further urgency to De Zerbi’s recruitment plans.
Richarlison’s contract situation means the Brazilian could still depart before the deadline, making the addition of another forward even more pressing for the north London club.
Matanovic could represent a similar pathway to the one Marmoush carved out, with a hungry striker from a mid-tier European league arriving with something to prove at a higher level.
De Zerbi has clearly identified forward reinforcements as his priority, with the Spurs head coach appearing determined to reshape and deepen his attacking options before the window closes.