Jeremy Doku cemented his place as one of world football's best wingers with an incredible display during Manchester City's 3-0 win against Premier League champions Liverpool. Things could have looked very different if the Belgian speedster had opted to join the Reds instead when he had the chance.
He tormented Arne Slot's men throughout the 74 minutes he spent on the pitch, tearing Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate to shreds on multiple occasions. After winning a first-half penalty that Erling Haaland failed to convert, the flying wide player capped off a sensational display with a wonderfully curled effort past Giorgi Mamardashvili to seal the 3-0 win.
Despite being seen as an inconsistent performer for his first two years at the Etihad, Doku looks to have reached the extremely high potential that was expected of him as a youngster. Doku has always been a handful for opposition defenders, but has now added an end product that has elevated his game to a new level.
Jeremy Doku Doesn't Regret Turning Down Liverpool Offer
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If things had gone differently, Doku could've started the Etihad clash as an away player. Jurgen Klopp attempted to bring him to Liverpool in 2020, when he was still learning his trade at Anderlecht in his home country. However, the young forward turned down the club's offer, and didn't regret that choice as the years went on.
Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad in 2021, Doku revealed exactly what happened when he visited the English club the year before. He explained: “I did a lot of research first, wrote down all the positive points and only then did I make a decision.
"I knew that I first wanted to make an intermediate step. Going to a top club now would be too soon. I still have a lot to learn, and Rennes is the ideal place for that. As soon as I’m asked if I regret it, I always say no, because if Liverpool came to me at 15, if they like me, they’ll come back later, that’s certain. It’s up to me to play well."
While being shown around the facilities on Merseyside, fellow wide man Sadio Mane spoke to Doku. Klopp was said to be planning for life after Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah when the time eventually came. However, Mane's advice actually went the other way.
In a separate interview with Nieuwsblad, via The Express, the Senegalese ace spoke with his young peer and suggested there was no rush for Doku to reach the top of the sport. The Man City star revealed: "I talked a lot with Mane, but we didn't really talk about football. We talked about everything. He told me that I was young, that I still had time… he wasn't trying to convince me or to say to me 'come here, you will succeed'."
Taking that conversation on board, he then decided to spend another year with Anderlecht before joining French outfit Rennes the following year. He added: "So I preferred to be careful. I knew what my trajectory had to be. I knew what route I needed to take, and I knew at that moment I needed to stay at Anderlecht."