The Rise of Jeremy Doku: From Match of the Day to Manchester City
The Belgian winger opens up about his journey to the Premier League
Fresh from lifting the Premier League trophy in front of more than 53,000 fans, Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku has transported himself back to the small district of Borgerhout in Antwerp, Belgium to reminisce about a special part of his childhood.
It is a Saturday night in the early 2010s and those inside the Doku household are waiting for one of the highlights of their week to begin. Sat in front of the TV alongside his father and older brother, Jeremy leans forward as the unmistakable theme song starts playing.
“Any games we couldn’t watch live, we’d always watch on Match of the Day,” he tells us after becoming the face of the latest Nike Underwear collection. “That’s when I really fell in love with the Premier League. I enjoyed having the opportunity to see players on the pitch that you wouldn’t always get to watch very often. The show also played a big part in me deciding to join the Premier League, as it always kept me inspired growing up.”
That ambition to play in England’s top flight can be traced back to those memorable evenings. Jeremy and his older brother Jefferson would try and replicate the goals they’d seen on one of the few concrete pitches in Borgerhout. And only when the lights went out did they venture back home through the cobbled streets of Antwerp.
Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Ronaldinho are mentioned as sources of inspiration in those early days, and later on, another Belgian influenced his game growing up. “Eden Hazard inspired me, and now I can say I’ve had the opportunity to play with him,” he beams.
Regardless of his injuries, my brother still helps me so much with my football to this day.
The Rise to Prominence
With the backing of his family, Doku made the switch to French side Stade Rennes for a club record deal in 2020. He went on to complete 110 dribbles in his debut season at Roazhon Park — the most by any player aged 23 or under in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
He also completed 12 successful dribbles in a match against Bordeaux, breaking the previous Ligue 1 record of 11, set by Neymar for Paris Saint Germain.
Neymar’s then-teammate Kylian Mbappe was blown away. “I recently spoke with my father about a player who caught my attention from the stands because of his pace. It was Doku from Rennes,” he said in 2021. “In my five years as a professional, I’ve never seen someone with such explosiveness in his first steps.”
The compliments kept on coming. After a game against Stade de Reims, opposition left-back Thibault De Smet said it was “impossible” to stop him.
“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever played against,” De Smet told reporters. “The only thing that can help is defending with two men. But when you face him one-on-one, with his starting speed, he only needs to give the ball one tap to pass you.”
The Move to Manchester City
As Doku continued to flourish, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made a telling comment on Spanish television in 2022 that appeared to signal his tactical intent. “Today football is losing the dribble,” he said. “Without players who dribble, nothing can be done.”
In total, Doku made 92 appearances across all competitions for Rennes, registering 12 goals and 10 assists across a three-year spell. He was also making a real impression at national level alongside Eden Hazard — all those years after watching him tear up the Premier League on television.
That form was enough to peak the interest of treble winners City. In fact, a year after Pep Guardiola stressed the importance of dribbling, City made a statement when they announced the signing of one of Europe’s most explosive wingers.
A chat with Guardiola and City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain about the sporting project in Manchester was key for Doku, as was his relationship with countryman Kevin De Bruyne, who was all but positive about the move.
“I arrived at Rennes when I was 18 and I learned so much in my three years there. However, I also felt ready to take another step in my career,” he tells us. “Like I’ve said, I always aspired to play in the Premier League as a child. I really admired Manchester City’s approach and their interest in me. I was already convinced by their track record and when a team like Manchester City shows interest in you, it’s a pleasure to hear such positive feedback.”
It didn’t take long for him to make an impression. Doku made a blistering start to life in Manchester, picking up three goals and six assists in his first 12 appearances for the Citizens as they began their title defence.
“As a winger in the final third, he has special quality,” Guardiola said after he opened his account for City in their 3-1 win over West Ham in September. “We try to use him for that.”
Although rough around the edges at times, Doku can look back on his debut campaign with pride. As well as boasting the most progressive carries in the Premier League with 218, he completed the second most successful dribbles (168 attempted with a 51.2% success) in England’s top flight.
A game that encapsulated his willingness to drive at defenders came at Anfield in November, when he gave Trent Alexander-Arnold the mother of all headaches, completing more dribbles (11) than any Premier League player since September 2021.
Doku’s ability to break through opposition lines with his direct and unpredictable style almost goes against the grain at City, who are more known for grinding teams down by being patient in possession.
Even the man himself was surprised to slot into Guardiola’s system with such ease.
“I expected adapting to be more complicated, based on what I had watched on television,” he says when asked about slotting into Guardiola’s system. “But honestly, what he asks from me is quite simple.”
He just wants me to do what I’m good at and to be natural. He always strives to place me in the best positions to show what I’m truly capable of. He wants me to showcase my dribbling and defence to the best of my abilities.
“Of course, sometimes it’s difficult. However, he helps me a lot and so does the rest of the team. I am very happy with how things are going.”
Doku knows that Guardiola’s presence has only enhanced his overall game.
“Most of his advice has been adapting my positions on the pitch to explore my dribbling skills further,” he continues. “Whether that’s being more in front of the goal, his advice can be minimal but always filled with so much detail.”
Last month the Spaniard spoke about Doku and how they’ve worked together to help develop another aspect of his game. On several occasions in recent weeks, Jack Grealish has been a starter, with Doku being saved to make an impact from the bench,
Grealish, who will no doubt go down as one of the most fouled players in Premier League history, will slowly wear his opponent down by inviting pressure before the frightening speed of Doku is introduced when fatigue comes into play.
It’s a formula that works. “From the start he was good but the bench not good,” Guardiola said about the Belgian in April. “We talked about that and how he has to make an impact when the players are more tired. He has a special quality one against one.”
On Saturday afternoon, Doku will be hoping to deliver one of those special moments at Wembley when City come up against Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
If all goes to plan, he will be watching this weekend’s episode of Match of the Day with a smile on his face.
