Omar Marmoush doubts continue as Pep Guardiola quizzed on Egypt release date for AFCON | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has maintained that talks remain ongoing over Omar Marmoush’s release date for the upcoming AFCON tournament with Egypt.

Manchester City continue to manage a demanding mid-season schedule, and Marmoush’s situation has emerged as a significant point of uncertainty as the club attempts to balance squad availability with international obligations.

With AFCON preparations looming, questions have turned to how City will cope should the forward be required earlier than planned. Guardiola is juggling a series of priorities in maintaining momentum in the Premier League, managing fitness across a congested run, and ensuring players heading to the tournament are handled in accordance with regulations.

Omar Marmoush’s importance has grown in recent weeks, particularly as Manchester City aim to balance the usage of Erling Haaland with sufficient rest for the Norwegian. The timing of the Egyptian’s departure could therefore have implications for Guardiola’s planning and rotation strategy.

Addressing reporters during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola was asked whether he had any further update on when Manchester City would permit Omar Marmoush to link-up with the Egypt set-up for the upcoming AFCON tournament.

“I don’t know. I think he has to talk with the club, with the player and with the club, and we’ll see,” Guardiola said.

Discussing the Egypt international’s campaign as a whole, Guardiola said, “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 continued, “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 Bayer Leverkusen] what the team required and his qualities, he did it! But we didn’t find him.”

For Manchester City, the next steps will likely hinge on both the club’s negotiations with the Egyptian federation and how Marmoush himself weighs his responsibilities at domestic and international level.

The player remains committed to contributing in Manchester while also representing his national team at a major tournament, and clarity is expected to arrive closer to the final squad reporting dates.

Should Omar Marmoush leave early, and perhaps ahead of the away trip to face Crystal Palace on December 14, Guardiola may be forced to adjust his attacking options, potentially offering expanded roles to midfielders in more advanced positions.

Conversely, a later release would provide City with valuable continuity during a critical phase of their season. Either way, the situation is expected to develop swiftly, and all parties will aim to settle a timeline that supports the needs of both City and Egypt as AFCON edges closer.