'It's his decision!' Enzo Maresca sends clear transfer message to Omar Marmoush following Atletico Madrid brace

Marmoush reminded the Manchester City hierarchy of his clinical edge on Sunday, netting a superb brace in a 3-1 friendly victory over Atletico Madrid. The Egyptian international was the standout performer in the clash staged in Seoul, showcasing the goalscoring instincts that prompted City to sign him from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025.

Since arriving in Manchester, the 27-year-old has struggled to establish himself as a regular fixture in the side. Across his tenure at the club, Marmoush has managed only 22 Premier League starts, supplemented by a further 15 appearances from the substitutes' bench.

Speaking to the media after the victory in South Korea, Maresca was candid about the striker's current predicament. The Italian tactician drew parallels between Marmoush’s situation and that of goalkeeper James Trafford, who recently departed for Leeds United in search of consistent first-team football.

Asked about Marmoush's future, Maresca said: 'The answer has to be similar to the one I answer about James Trafford. 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.'

City’s pre-season tour of Asia has been conducted without several key figures, including Erling Haaland, Rodri, and Rayan Cherki. Furthermore, England internationals Elliot Anderson, Marc Guehi, and Nico O'Reilly have been absent following their participation in the World Cup. Despite missing these heavyweights, Maresca expressed his satisfaction with how the available members of the squad have adapted to his tactical demands and philosophy since he took the reins from Pep Guardiola.

Maresca said: 'I'm very happy. Especially because the players since we started have been open-minded. They want to understand and want to learn why we do things. I know that when you join a new club you try to install new patterns or different ideas. The most important thing is we are getting better. The path is a huge path to improve things. But I can see we are trying what we do in training, and we are getting better at that.'

Manchester City will officially kick off their new season on August 16 when they face Arsenal in the Community Shield. The Sky Blues will then begin their Premier League campaign by hosting Bournemouth on August 23, as they look to reclaim the league title that has eluded them for the past two seasons.