Liverpool would have to pay significantly more than market value if they are to launch an approach for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, the Bundesliga side have confirmed.

Marmoush, who has enjoyed an excellent 18 months since being released by Wolfsburg in 2023, has been touted as a Liverpool target as the Reds consider refreshing their front line and eventually replacing fellow Egypt international Mohamed Salah, even though the compatriots are different types of player.

Already in 2024/25, Marmoush has matched a feat last achieved by Lionel Messi. The 25-year-old, little known prior to last season when he had a breakout campaign in Frankfurt that yielded 12 Bundesliga goals, has been given a market value of €40m (£33.5m) by football database Transfermarkt.

But Frankfurt wouldn’t accept an offer that low for their newfound star striker.

“That won’t be enough,” Markus Krosche, sporting director, told Welt when asked about the valuation. “When it comes to my responsibility, that is part of my job.

“Ultimately, with many players who come to us, we offer them an environment in which they can develop further – knowing full well that we would let them go if they developed faster than the club itself. This is an agreement we make with the boys. That’s why we have the opportunity to recruit so many exciting players, because they realise that they can take the next step in Frankfurt.”

Frankfurt have been in a similar situation before, signing a striker as a free agent, giving him the platform to develop and then selling him to a top European club for a vast fee. Randal Kolo Muani, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth a reported €90m (£76.4m at the time), followed that lucrative trajectory.

“Yes, sure. We ultimately had to do that, even though this decision involved a lot of risk because we didn’t immediately have a replacement for him at the time,” Krosche said of the 2023 deal.

“But decisions like these have to be made from a global perspective. It’s not just about sporting things, but also about more – namely the club as a whole. We have a certain market value in mind for each of our players. And if a club comes along that pays this, we will let the player go too. We always try to be prepared for this eventuality.”

Krosche has already made it clear that Marmoush could be sold, but Liverpool or any other suitor now know that they will have to pay a premium for the privilege.

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