Man City to delay Omar Marmoush release to block Egypt pre-AFCON friendlies

Manchester City will hold off releasing forward Omar Marmoush to Egypt until just before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, aiming to prevent him from featuring in any pre-tournament friendlies.

The club’s decision reflects a desire to maintain squad depth during a congested December schedule.

Marmoush has appeared mainly from the bench in recent weeks, making his availability a key consideration amid City’s four-competition campaign.

The club is determined to retain the forward for as many fixtures as possible before he departs for AFCON.

Egypt have been accelerating preparations, scheduling a training camp and several warm-up games against Kuwait, UAE, Jordan, and Nigeria ahead of the tournament.

But Manchester City reportedly plan to keep Marmoush for Premier League, Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Champions League matches, only releasing him after their December 14 fixture at Crystal Palace.

According to Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, City will bar Marmoush from Egypt’s friendly fixtures to maximise his availability for games against Fulham, Sunderland, and Real Madrid.

Guardiola values his versatility and views retaining him as essential to sustaining attacking balance during a critical period.

Egypt’s progress in AFCON will ultimately determine the length of Marmoush’s absence. Should the Pharaohs reach the latter stages, he may miss up to ten City matches.

Conversely, an early exit could allow him to return sooner, easing the impact on Guardiola’s squad planning.