Jeremy Doku joined Manchester City for £55 million. His speed and skill have become a significant asset for the Citizens, and the Belgian has already lifted several trophies with the team.
At just 22, the winger faces expectations to deliver more on the scoreboard. To be mentioned in the same breath as stars like Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, he knows he needs to up his goal tally significantly.
Former Belgium international Philippe Albert is confident in Doku's potential.
Absolutely. Doku has a lot of qualities. I saw him when he was just starting out in Belgium at Anderlecht, and as soon as he touched the ball and started to play, everyone in Belgium knew he would become a fantastic player. The issue is that Jeremy is still young, and while he occasionally does brilliant things, he sometimes lingers too much on the ball.
With Pep Guardiola, he has stepped up to another level. Unfortunately for him, he had bad luck at the World Cup, having to leave due to the birth of his child, and he didn’t perform as expected.
Since then, one or two players have come into the national team, making it difficult for Jeremy to reclaim his starting spot. However, if he plays well for Manchester City, he will always be in contention for selection.
The player himself acknowledges the need for improvement in his finishing.
I feel like if I start scoring goals, we’ll have a different conversation. Assists are good for me. I need to find myself in positions to score tap-ins more often. When I look at my goals, they’re always from dribbling. I want at least five tap-in goals each season — that would change everything. Wingers need to score. If I have those goals, I believe I could become the best winger in the world, 100 percent.
However, Doku's ambitions could be challenged by an uncertain reality. Manchester City face the looming threat of sanctions over 114 financial breaches.
The club risks points deductions and potential relegation. In such a scenario, Doku is unlikely to want to play in the second division, hence speculation about a possible transfer in 2027 has already started circulating in the press.
