Who is Jeremy Doku? - The explosive winger linked with Liverpool

Martin Macdonald

6 Oct 2021 15:54 BST
6 min read

Rennes reveal offer that will make them sell Liverpool target Doku — © ProShots

It always seems inevitable that Liverpool will, at some point, sign flying Belgian winger Jeremy Doku.

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The young attacker has been on Liverpool's radar for years and was even given a special tactical briefing by Steven Gerrard a few years ago before a deal to move to Merseyside failed to materialise.

Instead, Doku stayed in Anderlecht before earning a transfer to Rennes, where he continues to excel.

He is unlikely to stay in France for the long-term, however.

What position does Jeremy Doku play in?

Doku is usually deployed as a right winger but can also play on the left.

How good is Jeremy Doku?

Doku is now 19 but he has been on the radar of top clubs for at least five years due to his talents being spotted at an early age at Anderlecht.

He is known for his explosive pace and his ability to beat a man in space before either crossing into the box or cutting inside.

One aspect of his game that he will need to improve on is his goal contributions as he managed just two goals and three assists in 26 Ligue 1 starts in 2020/22.

He may still be fairly raw in his talents, but the potential is massive as he has a natural ability on the ball.

“I don’t like making comparisons, but he reminds me of the case of Sadio Mane at Metz, where he scored just two goals,” former Rennes boss Julien Stephan said last season.

“He’s only 18 and we want him to be ultra-decisive now. If he was, he wouldn’t be at Rennes.

“He’s a worker and someone seeking to make himself better. He has room for improvement and we all see him working to improve.”

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Stephan is not the first person to compare Doku's talents to that of Sadio Mane, and in respect to the pair's pace and movement you can see why.

Though moments of brilliance are fleeting due to his young age, they are frequent enough to ensure he remains on the radar of some very big clubs.

He is one of the youngest players ever to represent the senior Belgian national team.

What clubs are interested in Jeremy Doku?

Doku's father David explained to Het Nieuwsblad how he and his son visited Liverpool when the player was just 16.

“Jurgen Klopp explained how he saw a potential successor to Sadio Mane in Jeremy,” he said.

“At the age of 16, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Ajax and PSV were interested. We then visited clubs like Liverpool and Ajax. My preference was Liverpool.

“Steven Gerrard showed us videos with tactical analysis. At the training complex [Simon] Mignolet, Mane and [Georginio] Wijnaldum came to talk to us. How we were received there - damn!”

Ultimately, Doku decided to stay at Anderlecht after a message from fellow Belgian Romelu Lukaku.

He has moved to Rennes to continue his development, and at the moment it is Liverpool who still lead the race for his signature.

However, the president of the French side, Nicolas Holveck, recently revealed how much it would take for a sale to be considered.

“Looking at his potential, it’s possible that he will be solicited with offers this summer, but it’s clear that he’ll be with us next season," he said.

"If there’s an offer of €100m, we’ll consider it.”