- Manchester City has gone through a difficult first half of the 2024-25 campaign
- Pep Guardiola hopes to reinforce his squad with additions this month
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Manchester City are advancing talks to sign striker Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £50m and £35m Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
Mail Sport first revealed City's interest in Marmoush in December and the Egypt international is eager for the transfer to come to the Premier League champions.
Frankfurt are a reluctant seller, especially in the winter window, and were hoping to retain the 25-year-old who has scored 18 goals in 24 appearances this season.
Liverpool and Arsenal have also pursued Marmoush but have not pursued their interest and City are willing to pay around £50m for a player who can play in the front line or behind the striker.
Mail Sport previously reported that City are looking to add two or three signings in this window to breathe new life into Pep Guardiola's team and increase competition after a difficult first half of the season.
The Premier League champions have struggled mightily in Rodri's absence due to injury, embarking on a disastrous run of one win in 13 games before reeling off back-to-back victories over the festive period.
Manchester City progress in talks to sign Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush for £50m
Marmoush is the second top scorer in the Bundesliga, only behind the Englishman Harry Kane.
Pep Guardiola wants to reinforce his squad this month after a difficult first half of the season
As well as Marmoush, City want to add another midfielder and centre-back, with Mail Sport also previously revealing how talks over Uzbek international Khusanov, 20, along with AIK Freetong's Juma Bah, 18, had taken place .
City have also held similar talks with Palmeiras as they bid to beat Brighton to sign 18-year-old defender Vitor Reis. The Seagulls have had offers of around £23m for Reis rejected.
Meanwhile, Frankfurt denied that City had made any formal approach to Marmoush last week, but Mail Sport's sources understand that informal talks are continuing and a deal is expected to be reached in the coming days.
Marmoush is second in the Bundesliga scoring charts behind Harry Kane and was a target for Nottingham Forest last summer.
The German team is looking to qualify for the Champions League next season and is currently third in the German top flight.
As such, losing one of their key stars – and the goals he contributes – could be a blow in that quest.
City are expected to be busy this month, although the Spaniard does not want to let any of his top stars leave the club.
Captain Kyle Walker and goalkeeper Ederson are the subject of interest from the Saudi Pro League, while Matheus Nunes and Jack Grealish remain question marks.
City are also making progress in negotiations to sign Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov
City have also held talks with Palmeiras as they try to beat Brighton and defend defender Vitor Reis.
Some players have been linked with a departure, but Guardiola wants to keep his squad together
James McAtee remains a hot property across Europe and Kevin De Bruyne has entered the final six months of his contract.
City, however, want to keep the core of Guardiola's team together for the time being, adding to that group rather than coming and going over the next four weeks. Even if a selection of pillars have underperformed.
You suspect that the sales would arise as a result of a player making it known that he is desperate to leave and that the money on offer was deemed appropriate. In that sense, there will not be many changes in the way City works.
But there is money available to spend, as evidenced by the healthy accounts published a few weeks ago, and sources told Mail Sport last month that Begiristain and Guardiola were interested in addressing three or four areas of concern: mainly central midfield, the rear and the forward. .
The Premier League champions have realized that acquiring the right targets will not be an easy task in the middle of a campaign.
Fifteen City players have suffered at least one physical problem this season: Stefan Ortega, Rico Lewis, Ilkay Gundogan, Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva are the only five who have remained injury-free.