Manchester City’s eye-watering January spend may have consequences not only for the rest of the Premier League, but also for Leeds United.
Pep Guardiola has spent over £120 million this month alone.
Alright for some. If your team is in decline, as Manchester City certainly is, it’s always helpful to have a pocketbook deeper than the Marianas Trench to fall back on.
Omar Marmoush became City’s third mega-money acquisition of the summer, just hours after their Champions League dreams were dealt another severe blow in Wednesday’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Marmoush, second only to Egyptian teammate Mo Salah in terms of goals and assists combined across Europe’s major leagues, joins Vitor Reis [a £30 million addition from Palmeiras] and new £33 million central defender Abdokudir Khusanov.
Leeds were linked with ex-Lens stopper Khusanov towards the end of 2024, with Daniel Farke’s Championship table-toppers reportedly offering £16.5 million. Lens quickly rejected the offer, knowing that far bigger bids were expected.
While Manchester City’s formidable financial muscle may have ended Leeds’ admittedly slim chances of signing one of the game’s best young defensive prospects – Abdokudir Khusanov was named Europe’s best centre-back under the age of 21 by the CIES Football Observatory – the Marmoush deal may yet serve to boost the Yorkshire giants’ coffers in the long run.
Omar Marmoush to Manchester City might permit Leeds United’s escape.
Rasmus Kristensen, who is currently on loan from Leeds United, is expected to join Frankfurt on a permanent basis. The Dane has been a huge success at the Commerzbank Arena. While he struggled to win over the Elland Road fans, he has had no such issues in Germany.
Kristensen was instrumental in Frankfurt’s recent Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Even Ballon D’Or-winning German icon Lothar Matthaus is praising a man best known at Leeds for his contribution in the heartbreaking relegation season of 2022/23.
Kristensen might join Frankfurt permanently for £12.5 million, according to Mathaus, making him a ‘top transfer’.
Matthaus believes the Eagles deserve a lot of credit for being one of the most successful clubs in terms of signing low, selling high, and turning profits that would make even Alan Sugar blush.
After spending big money on Sebastian Haller, Luka Jovic, and Randal Kolo Muani, Omar Marmoush’s £60 million move to Manchester City makes the free-scoring forward the second-most expensive transfer in Frankfurt history.
Not only that, but it frees up an incredible amount of capital for reinvestment. Funds will be used to rebuild the offensive during Marmoush’s absence, with enough left over to convert Kristensen’s loan into a full-time agreement.
Eintracht Frankfurt now has £60 million to play with after Marmoush’s departure.
“Omar approached us with his wish to move and stressed that it was perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him to play for an absolute top club in the Premier League,” Frankfurt’s much-admired sporting director Markus Krosche reveals.
“He has done a lot for Eintracht Frankfurt and played an important role in our athletic growth. That is another reason why we granted his request.”
Krosche went on to remark, in comments that may be of interest to Leeds United, that Frankfurt will not simply throw away its £60 million windfall on a direct successor.
Instead, as they did when they parted ways with Jovic, Haller, and Kolo Muani, the Bundesliga high-flyers will use the funds to replenish the roster and improve overall.
Keeping Kristensen, the Leeds United-owned full-back who has become a’real leader’ and a ‘total hit’ in Germany, is likely to be a top priority for Frankfurt.
“We will not meet the horrendous expectations of other clubs,” Krosche says, emphasizing that just because they have £60 million in their back pocket does not mean they will pay over the odds at the Commerzbank Arena.
“We buy players at a market price. We will not surpass that limit in order to avoid putting all of our eggs in one basket.
“If someone thinks they can receive ridiculous costs from us, that is impossible. “Then we’ll do something else.”
