Manchester City appear to be walking a tightrope with the Egyptian Football Association after indicating they do not intend to release forward Omar Marmoush for any of Egypt’s African Cup of Nations warm-up fixtures.
The Cityzens want to keep the 25-year-old available for four more club matches before he is allowed to link up with his national side in Morocco for the tournament.
The Egyptian national team, led by head coach Hossam Hassan, are already deep into preparations.
Hassan has summoned his squad to report for camp on Monday, and Egypt are set to take part in a series of friendly matches in the FIFA Arab Cup, facing Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan across an eight-day period.
They will then round off their warm-up schedule against Nigeria on December 14 as part of a final tune-up before their AFCON opener on December 22 against Zimbabwe.
Hassan has made it clear he expects both his marquee forwards — Marmoush and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah — to arrive in time for the Nigeria friendly, viewing the pair as essential figures in Egypt’s bid to reclaim continental dominance.
Egypt enter the tournament regarded as one of the frontrunners, and Hassan has been keen for a full squad as early as possible.
Discussions between the Egyptian FA and Manchester City have taken place in recent days in hopes of negotiating a release for Marmoush ahead of the FIFA window.
However, City’s position is firm. Club officials believe they are under no obligation to release the player before the formal reporting date for the tournament, and the current plan is to allow Marmoush to depart only once their match against Crystal Palace on December 14 has been completed.
Between now and then, the forward is expected to feature in City’s fixtures against Fulham, Sunderland, Real Madrid and Palace — a sequence viewed as too crucial for the Sky Blues to navigate without him, given their demanding calendar across multiple competitions.
City’s scheduling concerns are not without foundation. Should Egypt reach the final in Morocco — which is not out of the question for the record seven-time champions — Marmoush could be sidelined from club duties for up to ten games.
While he is away, City will be active in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
Pep Guardiola’s side will resume Champions League action shortly after the AFCON final, travelling to Norway to face Bodo Glimt on January 20, a fixture Marmoush may struggle to make if Egypt progress deep into the tournament.
The dispute is testing the balance between club and country once again — a delicate relationship that AFCON frequently pushes to the limit.
For Egypt, having Marmoush embedded early helps build cohesion and tactical rhythm, particularly as Hassan continues crafting a frontline centred around Salah’s creativity and Marmoush’s directness.
From Egypt’s point of view, the warm-up matches are not mere friendlies but an integral stage of tournament readiness.
The Pharaohs have learned in previous editions that early momentum can prove decisive, and Hassan is determined to ensure his squad hits the ground running. The Nigeria fixture, especially, is seen as a benchmark test.
Yet Manchester City believe the context from their end is equally compelling. Guardiola has been managing a congested run of fixtures and wants to retain attacking depth through December, especially with injuries already having disrupted rotational options this season.
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Marmoush entered the campaign brightly but saw his rhythm broken by a six-week layoff early on, something Guardiola referenced publicly last week.
“He started really well, after he had an injury, and after he came back and we made more, I would say, of a stable the team,” Guardiola said, reflecting on the competition for places in his forward line.
“It’s a time when you’re three games in a row playing the same team, the same team selection. But the season is so long, and I think Omar did in the last game [against Leverkusen] what the team required and his qualities, he did it! But we didn’t find him.”
While Guardiola values what Marmoush offers, the forward has struggled to force his way ahead of the club’s most in-form attacking options.
With Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku all performing at a consistently high level, Marmoush has had to be patient, often being used as an option to change the dynamic late in matches or when the schedule demands rotation.
City view December’s fixtures as the perfect window for the Egyptian to build rhythm and confidence before jetting off to Morocco.
Losing him for the warm-ups would deny Guardiola one of his few flexible attacking alternatives during a congested period and further strain their already stretched squad.