Spurs ready bid to sign £56m star

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi wants to bolster his options in the middle of the park before the end of the summer transfer window.

West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes is one of the central midfielders on the club’s radar, after the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League last season.

The Lilywhites have reportedly agreed personal terms with the Portuguese starlet, but they now have to agree a fee with the Championship side for the £85m-rated talent.

Fernandes is not the only midfielder who is being pursued by the Premier League side, though, as they are also said to be keen on Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali.

Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that a deal is on for Spurs to bring the Italy international to North London to add to De Zerbi’s midfield options for next season.

Tottenham preparing move for Premier League forward

Tonali would arrive as a combative midfielder who does not offer a massive threat in front of goal, having failed to score in the top-flight last term, but he is an intelligent passer and strong in his duels, having won 55% of his physical battles for the Magpies.

De Zerbi, though, already has several similar types of combative midfielders who do not offer much at the top end of the pitch, in Conor Gallagher, Pape Matar Sarr, and Rodrigo Bentancur.

That is why their latest reported target, an attacker from one of their Premier League rivals, could arrive as an even better signing than Fernandes and Tonali.

According to reports in Italy, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to sign Manchester City centre-forward Omar Marmoush in the summer transfer window.

Spurs are said to be keen on a swoop for the Egypt international and are preparing to make an offer to sign him in the coming days, as they look to add to their attacking options.

It is claimed that De Zerbi is a big fan of the former Eintracht Frankfurt frontman and would like to bring the striker to North London before the end of the transfer window.

Earlier this summer, it was reported elsewhere that City are looking for a fee of up to £56m for the forward, who is also wanted by Spanish giants Barcelona.

What Omar Marmoush would bring to Tottenham Hotspur

As aforementioned, Fernandes and Tonali would be better versions of what De Zerbi already has in his squad at Spurs, combative midfielders who can break up play and start attacks.

Tottenham, however, do not have any attackers who have the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis to emerge as one of the best forwards in the Premier League.

In the 2025/26 campaign, Richarlison was the only player in the squad who managed to hit double figures for combined goals and assists in the top-flight, with 11 goals and four assists.

The lack of consistency and quality from De Zerbi’s attackers is a cause for concern ahead of next term, which is why Marmoush would be such a good addition to the squad.

Last season, the 27-year-old attacker, described as a “maverick” by scout Ben Mattinson, produced eight goals and three assists in just 1,438 minutes for City, averaging a goal contribution every 130 minutes.

His best campaign, however, was when he played regularly for Frankfurt and City in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring 28 goals and providing 14 assists in 3,635 minutes.

He averaged a goal contribution every 87 minutes in all competitions for the two clubs that term, and racked up 22 goals and nine assists in 33 matches in the Premier League and Bundesliga combined.

Tonali and Fernandes combined for three goals and six assists in the Premier League for Newcastle and West Ham last term and are unlikely to be game-changers for Spurs at the top end of the pitch.

Marmoush, however, has the quality to be an incredibly effective attacking force at the top level, and has proven himself in both the Bundesliga and the Premier League, but found game time hard to come by last season due to competing with Erling Haaland for a place.

Spurs can, now, take advantage of his unfortunate situation at The Etihad to bring in a genuine difference-maker who could win the team points with goals and assists week-in-week-out, making him an even more impactful signing than Fernandes or Tonali for De Zerbi.