Mohamed Salah wants comparisons between himself and Omar Marmoush to end – although the Liverpool star has been impressed by his international teammate’s spectacular form.
Marmoush followed in Salah’s footsteps by becoming the second player in Europe to reach double figures for goals and assists this season. The 25-year-old has scored 14 times and added 10 assists in just 16 games for Eintracht Frankfurt.
That form has inevitably led to transfer speculation, with Liverpool among the clubs most heavily linked. According to The Metro, Marmoush could be available for around $63m (£50m/€60m), although that figure is likely to soar if he continues in the same vein.
Given his exploits so far this season, and the fact they are international teammates, Marmoush has found himself being compared to Salah. What’s more, he has been touted as a potential replacement for the 32-year-old, with Salah’s future still up in the air as he reaches the final few months of his current deal at Anfield.
There is of course still time for Salah to extend his stay at Liverpool, which could potentially open the door for him to play alongside Marmoush at both club and international level. The Reds talisman though isn’t too keen on the comparisons being made between the two.
“Omar Marmoush, incredibly talented and currently a key player for his club and the national team,” Salah said at the Sharjah International Book Fair, according to Egyptian outlet WinWin. “But I hope he can stay away from comparisons because they will keep putting him under constant pressure.
“I just want him to avoid the idea of comparisons. People need to stop comparing him to me, saying he’s ‘the new Salah’ and that he’ll do what I did or even better, this doesn’t help him; it only puts him under constant pressure.
“You can’t compare him to a player who has achieved so much over the years while he’s just starting out. Let him live his own experience and enjoy it. He’s doing something different, in his own unique way.”
Despite Salah’s wishes, Marmoush will almost certainly continue to be compared with him, especially if links with Liverpool persist. Frankfurt though does not seem too concerned about the prospect of losing their star player, with sporting director Markus Krosche playing down rumors recently.
“I’m obviously pleased that he’s still scoring,” Krosche said. “I think Omar feels comfortable here so we shouldn’t always discuss the transfer window or possible transfers.”
