Manchester City is ramping up their transfer activity with ambitious moves for two of Europe's most exciting talents in the January window, sources close to the negotiations have confirmed.
The Premier League champions are pursuing Eintracht Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush, who has been setting the Bundesliga alight with 13 goals in 15 appearances this season. The 25-year-old Egyptian international has been in scintillating form, contributing a total of 18 goals and 12 assists across all competitions since his move from Wolfsburg in 2023.
Marmoush's rise to prominence is a compelling success story that began in Egypt's youth system, where he netted an extraordinary 44 goals in 28 games at age 17. Breaking from the traditional path of joining Egyptian giants El Zamalek or Al Ahly, he started his professional career at Wadi Degla under Patrice Carteron, who handed him his debut in the 2015-16 season finale.
His journey to the Bundesliga wasn't without challenges. After signing with Wolfsburg in 2017, Marmoush initially struggled with the language barrier - to the point where ordering coffee required waiting to copy another customer's order. However, successful loan spells at St Pauli and Stuttgart helped him develop into the versatile attacking threat he is today.
On the defensive front, City is also pursuing RC Lens' 20-year-old sensation Abdukodir Khusanov. The Uzbekistan international has emerged as a key target as the club deals with injuries to defensive stalwarts Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, and Manuel Akanji.
Khusanov, who joined Lens from Belarusian club Energetik-BGU Minsk in 2023, has quickly become indispensable to the French side, missing only two Ligue 1 matches this season due to suspension. His impressive performances have also attracted interest from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
The young center-back's maturity and consistency have particularly impressed City's scouting team, who see him as both an immediate solution to their defensive crisis and a long-term investment for the future.
