Spurs’ Striker Shake-Up and Newcastle's Midfield Fix

Manchester City are cashing in again this summer – but not quite in the way many expected.

Eintracht Frankfurt will receive nothing from Omar Marmoush’s move to Tottenham Hotspur, despite weeks of noise around a supposed sell-on windfall. BBC Sport understands the Bundesliga club are not due a penny as the Egypt international switches from City to north London.

That matters because of Savio. There had been talk that City had pushed his fee up to around £75m to blunt the sell-on clause owed to Frankfurt on Marmoush, who left Germany for Manchester in 2025. Frankfurt have now shut that theory down. No sell-on. No slice. City keep the lot.

For Spurs, the numbers are only part of the story. The squad rebuild under Roberto de Zerbi is gathering speed – and weight.

De Zerbi’s “bomba” and a bloated squad

At the start of the summer, Tottenham’s plan was bold: five major signings plus a handful of free transfers to reshape a squad that had grown unwieldy and, at times, predictable.

They are getting there.

With Savio and Marmoush both arriving from City, the club are closing in on that target. De Zerbi publicly spoke of wanting a “bomba” signing alongside Savio; Marmoush, in profile and price, fits that description.

The problem? Numbers. Spurs currently have well over 30 senior players on their books, depending on which academy graduates you count. Outgoings will dictate what comes next. Once Marmoush and Savio are through the door, any further business is likely to hinge on who Spurs can shift out.

What Marmoush actually brings

Strip away the hype and Marmoush’s City record is solid rather than spectacular: 16 goals in 62 games in all competitions since leaving Frankfurt.

Last season told the real story. His Premier League minutes shrank. Just eight league starts, roughly 700 minutes, and a return of three goals and three assists. His expected goals figure – 3.53 – sat close to his actual tally, so the issue was not wastefulness in front of goal. It was opportunity.

He was trying to elbow his way into a side built around Erling Haaland, while City kept stockpiling forwards. There are only so many central attacking roles to go around in Pep Guardiola’s set-up.

At Frankfurt, Marmoush thrived as a central striker but also drifted into roles as a second forward and off the left. City used him in a similar way – mainly through the middle, sometimes off the flank, occasionally just off another striker. That positional elasticity is exactly the kind of tool De Zerbi likes to play with.

It may also be a necessity. Dominic Solanke has battled injury problems for 18 months. Richarlison is into the final year of his contract. Spurs need a reliable No 9, but they also need someone who can move, stretch and adapt.

A forward who lives on the shoulder

Nedum Onuoha, who watched Marmoush up close at City, believes the key is simple: play to his instincts.

As much as Marmoush can drop towards the ball, Onuoha argues he is at his best when he plays on the shoulder of defenders, constantly threatening the space behind. Put him in a team that feeds those runs and forces backlines to turn towards their own goal, and you see a different version of the striker.

The numbers back that up. Opta’s Premier League data from last season shows Marmoush averaged 11.46 runs in behind per 90 minutes. That is virtually identical to Solanke’s 11.61 and ahead of Richarlison’s 10.03. He also offered more with the ball than both.

For a coach obsessed with verticality and tempo like De Zerbi, those metrics matter. Spurs want to play forward, fast, and aggressively. Marmoush wants to run. The fit is obvious. The only question now is how many more pieces De Zerbi can add before the window shuts – and who has to leave to make space.

Newcastle turn to City for Guimaraes successor

While Spurs retool their front line, Newcastle United are ripping up and rewriting their midfield.

Newcastle have agreed a deal worth up to £52m for Manchester City’s Nico Gonzalez, a move that finally hands head coach Matthias Jaissle the central presence he has been craving since Bruno Guimaraes departed for Arsenal.

Newcastle’s summer has been busy but incomplete. Six signings had already arrived – goalkeepers Lukas Hornicek and Ewen Jaouen, defender Amar Dedic, midfielders Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur and forward Bazoumana Toure. It gave Jaissle depth, youth and energy, but not the seasoned Premier League operator he wanted at the heart of his side.

Gonzalez changes that. The 24-year-old has only been in England for a season and a half since joining City from Porto, yet he fits Newcastle’s age profile: young enough to grow, experienced enough to cope.

The data underlines why he was out of reach not so long ago. Among midfielders who played at least 900 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues last season, Gonzalez led the way for high turnovers per game with 2.13. He also ranked in the Premier League’s top five midfielders for line-breaking passes per match at 12.

That blend of pressing aggression and progressive passing is exactly what Newcastle have been missing. After the exits of Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier in recent months, Jaissle needed a midfielder who could dictate both with and without the ball. Gonzalez arrives with the expectation of doing just that at St James’ Park.

Forest’s £50m bet on Delap

If Newcastle’s move for Gonzalez looks like a carefully targeted fix, Nottingham Forest’s latest deal is a statement of faith – and risk.

Forest have agreed a club-record fee of around £50m to sign Chelsea striker Liam Delap. The 23-year-old is due for a medical and is expected to sign a long-term contract at the City Ground this week.

It is a remarkable fee for a player whose career has already swung sharply in both directions.

Delap came through Manchester City’s academy, then took the long route: loans at Stoke, Preston and Hull before a permanent £20m move to Ipswich Town in 2024. There, he finally caught fire, scoring 12 goals in 37 top-flight games and drawing talk of a future England call-up.

Chelsea pounced, paying £30m to beat Manchester United and Everton to his signature. The timing, though, worked against him. The Blues also brought in Brazil forward Joao Pedro, and Delap’s path narrowed.

Last season unravelled. Shoulder and hamstring injuries disrupted his campaign and he finished with just one Premier League goal. Chelsea, who have since signed Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg and Danny Welbeck from Brighton, decided to cash in.

Forest clearly see something more. They have already spent £34m on defender Ousmane Diomande and added free agents Xaver Schlager and goalkeeper Steve Benda. They also banked a club-record £116m from selling England midfielder Elliot Anderson to Manchester City and another £9m from Taiwo Awoniyi’s move to Coventry City.

That outlay on Delap signals trust. He will compete with Chris Wood and Igor Jesus, neither of whom scored in Forest’s 1-0 home defeat by Leeds on the opening weekend. Forest believe Delap can be a regular Premier League scorer again. The price tag says he almost has to be.

The clock is ticking

Across the league, the scramble is on. There is less than a week left in the window, yet deals are still being lined up and pushed over the line.

Nottingham Forest are closing in on Delap. Newcastle are about to drop £52m on Gonzalez. Tottenham are reshaping their attack around Savio and Marmoush, while Aston Villa weigh up a move for Jean-Philippe Mateta as Ollie Watkins edges towards the exit.

Clubs know this is the last chance to fix holes, to gamble, to reshape entire seasons. Who will get it right before the window slams shut – and who will spend the rest of the campaign counting the cost of the moves they didn’t make?