Enzo Maresca hints Man City star can leave club as Spurs and Newcastle placed on red alert

Enzo Maresca has hinted that Omar Marmoush will be allowed to leave Manchester City in the final month of the summer transfer window.

Marmoush is reportedly attracting transfer interest from both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United as he looks to secure regular playing time next season.

The 27-year-old only moved to the Etihad Stadium during the January transfer window last year, but has found it difficult to gain regular playing time in the side. Marmoush is firmly behind Erling Haaland in the striker position and faces strong competition from the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku in the wide positions.

Marmoush featured for Egypt at the World Cup and returned to club action for the final two matches of their Asian preseason tour under Maresca. The former Eintracht Frankfurt forward scored twice in Seoul on Sunday as the Blues came from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid in a tough friendly match.

City are adamant they will replace any player who leaves before deadline day, but time is running out to secure replacements with just over three weeks left of the window.

That doesn't mean Marmoush won't leave though. Maresca has left the door open to a departure and insists the final decision is with the player, rather than the club.

"The answer has to be similar to the one I answer about James Trafford," he told reporters after the victory over Atletico Madrid. "Players work every day, they want to play so when they don't play they are not happy. Omar did not play a lot last year so his desire is probably to play more minutes. It doesn't mean that he isn't going to play more minutes here but it's also his decision, and he needs to decide."

Marmoush transfer interest

A recent report from TEAMtalk claimed both Tottenham and Newcastle are showing interest in a potential deal for Marmoush.

The report claims that both clubs have made initial enquiries for the Egyptian forward, while there is 'significant interest' from several Bundesliga clubs.

It is claimed Marmoush still has a strong reputation in Germany due to his exploits at Frankfurt before he completed his £60m move to Manchester last year.

Tottenham are believed to hold an interest in both Marmoush and his City teammate Savinho, while Newcastle are keen to add a forward to their squad after they sold Anthony Gordon to Barcelona at the start of the summer.

Tijjani Reijnders and Rico Lewis are two other City players facing uncertain futures who could both be allowed to leave the club before transfer deadline day.