egyptian king

For a long time, Liverpool’s star forward Mohamed Salah has been known as ‘The Egyptian King’. This moniker has been well-earned due to his incredible consistency with the men from Merseyside.

When it comes to compatriots who he could take his mantle, there hasn’t been anybody near him. However, one player has emerged as a potential successor to Salah, who is plying his trade in the Bundesliga.

That player is Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, who has been one of the standout players in the German top flight this season.

Born in Egypt but made in Germany

Although he was born in Egypt, he moved to Germany in 2017, when he joined VFL Wolfsburg from Egyptian outfit Wadi Degla. Marmoush first played for the Wolves second team from 2017 until 2020, making 36 appearances and scoring 11 goals in the process.

He got promoted to the first team in 2020 and stayed there until 2023, making 48 appearances in all appearances and scoring just six goals.

@omarmarmoush

Gude @Eintracht Frankfurt 🦅 #2027

♬ original sound – Omar Marmoush

However, during his time with the Wolves, he also had loan spells first at St. Pauli in the 2. Bundesliga and then with top-flight rivals Stuttgart in the German top-flight.

Neither spell was that successful, and there was little sign of the form that was to come from the versatile forward player in the last 18 months.

Enjoyed a breakout season with Eintracht Frankfurt

In 2022, Marmoush moved to Eintracht Frankfurt as a free agent after his Wolfsburg contract expired. The move to Die Adler ignited his career.

He started showing what he could do with excellent displays, but more importantly, he began to score goals on a regular basis.

In his first season with Eintracht, he scored 17 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions.

His performances were reportedly enough to attract interest from some Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea, although, to be fair, the latter has shown interest in every active player in the last two years.

This season, he has hit the ground running, continuing the positive momentum of last season. The Egyptian international has scored ten goals in the German top flight this season, a tally only bettered by England and Bayern Munich goal-machine Harry Kane.

However, he hasn’t just been effective at scoring goals, as he has also produced six assists. One of the main reasons for his productivity this season has been the relationship he has built with young French summer signing Hugo Ekitike.

The pair have combined superbly in an exciting Eagles team who have been excellent to watch under Dino Toppmoller and currently occupy third place in the German top-flight table.

Only league leaders Bayern Munich have scored more goals than Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season. Their front two are the main reason for that outstanding attacking record.

Not only has Marmoush shown his quality for the Eagles this season, but also his versatility. Although he has made most of his appearances playing in a central forward role, at times, he has featured as a number ten or on the left wing.

This sort of versatility only adds to Marmoush’s long list of attributes.

Could he replace Salah at club and international level?

Marmoush’s red-hot performances were always likely to attract attention from elsewhere. He seems to have all the qualities to play at the very top level of the game.

Inevitably, because of his nationality and an already established relationship with Mohamed Salah for the Egyptian national team, Marmoush is being heavily linked with a move to Merseyside.

In fact, in a recent Daily Mirror interview, former Liverpool and Germany midfielder Didi Hamann suggested that he believes that Marmoush is good enough to replace his compatriot at Anfield.

He is being touted as an almost ready-made replacement for his now-32-year-old international teammate.

There has been speculation about Salah’s future for a while. The veteran forward’s current contract with Liverpool ends next summer, which leaves the Reds in a position of uncertainty about his future.

Salah has been heavily linked with a bank balance-boosting switch to Saudi Arabia and can discuss a move abroad as early as January.

The forward seems to be happy on Merseyside and is worshipped by the club’s fans. Apart from the obvious attraction of a big payday in Saudi Arabia, the main attraction may be that he wants a fresh challenge, as he has been with Liverpool since 2017.

It would seem apt that Marmoush replaces his compatriot at the Merseyside club. He has many of the same attributes as Salah. He is versatile, has excellent dribbling ability, has pace and is, of course, a superb finisher.

Marmoush does not yet have a record of producing on a consistent basis. However, although Salah showed flashes of his talent early in his career, he didn’t really excel until his mid-20s. He had two strong seasons at Roma before joining the Reds.

That sounds very much like the current career trajectory of the Eintracht Frankfurt star. It seems the stars may be aligning.

One caveat to Liverpool signing Marmoush is that they may have to wait until the summer. Frankfurt has a history of developing players and making a handsome profit from selling them.

However, at the moment, the Eagles look like they could mount a genuine top-four challenge in the Bundesliga. Marmoush’s goals would obviously be a key factor in that bid.

For now, Omar Marmoush is only the crown prince of Egyptian football. However, who knows, maybe in the future, he will be the one to take Salah’s mantle as ‘The Egyptian King’ for both club and country.