Hansi Flick thinks £59m Manchester City player is the perfect fit for FC Barcelona

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Manchester City are set to undergo a summer of change with Pep Guardiola leaving after a decade-long stint, but he may not be the only name who departs the Etihad in the coming months.

Along with Pep, Bernardo Silva will leave Man City once his contract expires at the end of June.

In terms of other player exits, there has been talk of a move for second-choice striker Omar Marmoush, who has now been made into FC Barcelona’s number one target.

Hansi Flick identifies Omar Marmoush as Robert Lewandowski’s successor

Robert Lewandowski has 18 goals and four assists to his name this season, playing a key role in Barca beating Real Madrid to another La Liga title.

However, he will be 38 in July and his contract, which includes a performance option, is due to expire in the summer.

On that front, Barcelona have started looking at replacements, but according to Diario Carioca, financial fair play restrictions mean the Spanish giants can’t sign a player for over €100m.

They have, in turn, started looking at more budget-friendly options, and that is where Marmoush, who joined Man City for £59m in January 2025, comes in.

The Egyptian is said to be the Barca ‘coaching staff’s number-one target’, while manager Hansi Flick ‘believes Marmoush’s vertical style and physical intensity fit perfectly into the high-pressing philosophy he implements at Barcelona’.

Pep Guardiola comments on Omar Marmoush’s game time

It remains to be seen if the forward would be tempted to join Barca, but the promise of more game time could appeal to him.

Since arriving in England, Marmoush has been a backup to Erling Haaland and has struggled for consistent action as a result.

He has made 20 Premier League appearances this season, but has notched just 685 minutes of action in those ties.

Guardiola commented on Marmoush not starting much earlier this month, saying: “Yeah, especially Omar. It’s not easy because normally we play with just one striker. He’s a proper striker and Erling is there.

“Erling is so important for us. But the contribution of Omar, always he plays the amount of goals. And the rate for the minutes played is so high. So it’s really good. We talked many times.”

With Enzo Maresca now expected to take over in Manchester, the former Eintracht Frankfurt ace may well get a more prominent role moving forward, but only time will tell.