For Manchester City winger Savinho and striker Omar Marmoush, the top story lines right now are more about their club futures than it is their fitness levels. Both are doubts for Sunday’s Premier League season opener vs AFC Bournemouth, due to health issues. Marmoush, according to the club, has an unspecified injury while Savinho has an undisclosed illness. Both issues are extremely minor, because the duo are transfer targets of Tottenham Hotspur.
Premier League Season Opener FYIs
Manchester City vs AFC Bournemouth
Kickoff: Sunday, Aug. 23, 2pm GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom
Result Probabilities According to Google: Manchester City Win 65% a Draw 19% Bournemouth Win 16%
Manchester City Preview Material: Predicted XI Team News
Manchester City Team News
The two clubs are in talks over the potential transfer of Savinho and Marmoush, according to numerous reports in various British media outlets on Thursday.
Neither one is expected to feature this weekend, and both have been fringe/cup competition players for most of their time at City anyway. The pair are used sparingly in the bigger matches.
In addition to Savinho and Marmoush, Spurs, who open up on Saturday against Brentford, are also pursuing Liverpool striker Cody Gakpo.
So it’ll be interesting to see how this all shapes out during these last 12 days of the summer transfer window. There are only two other injury concerns for new manager Enzo Maresca here– Jeremy Doku is unlikely to feature here as he’s battling a calf strain.
Matheus Nunes is doubtful as well, given how he’s battling a muscular injury.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.