The Rennes forward has been heavily linked with a summer move to the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City are preparing to table an opening offer to sign Rennes forward Jeremy Doku, but a new report has revealed that it’s not enough to bring him to the Premier League.
Who is Jeremy Doku?
Doku is naturally a right-sided winger who has played his football at the Roazhon Park since 2020 having moved there from Anderlecht where he’s since gone on to make a total of 91 appearances to date, but there’s a strong possibility that he will be moving onto new pastures before the end of the current window.
Despite his contract not expiring for another two years, the 21-year-old firmly established himself as Bruno Genesio’s best-performing offensive player last season, and this consistent high standard of performance has caught the eye of Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
As well as Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, Fabrizio Romano previously revealed that the Sky Blues had added the Belgium international to their wishlist to succeed Riyad Mahrez who completed his £30m move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli in July. He said:
“EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City now add Jeremy Doku to the list to replace Riyad Mahrez as new winger. Alongside Michael Olise (who’s in both City and Chelsea lists), Doku is one of the priority names being considered by Man City.”
Are Man City signing Jeremy Doku?
According to ESPN, Man City are in talks with Rennes and are “working on a deal” for Doku. They are “ready to bid” for the player, but it’s stated that Rennes are demanding a fee of £45m to sanction his sale, a price that chiefs currently aren’t willing to cash out, therefore leaving a “gap in valuation”.
Lyon’s Bradley Barcola is another player to have been identified as a potential replacement for Mahrez, whilst the club remain keen on West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta and are expected to return to the negotiating table with an improved offer having seen their opening £70m proposal rejected at the London Stadium.
How many goals has Jeremy Doku scored?
In Ligue 1 last season, Doku racked up eight goal contributions (six goals and two assists) in 29 appearances with this form having seen him receive four man-of-the-match awards from WhoScored, highlighting what a standout performer he is, and there’s no doubt that the winger would only excel further under the guidance of Guardiola.
The Antwerp native also poses a constant threat even when he doesn’t hit the back of the net, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons, number of touches in the opposition’s penalty area and shot-creating actions, so he’s always looking to dribble past his marker and produce moments of quality for his teammates in the final third.
Doku, dubbed “The Belgian Flash” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also lauded him as “simply amazing”, also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline and even as an attacking midfielder, as per Transfermarkt, so his ability to adapt would make him a great option for the boss to have in the building, therefore making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.
