Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku has explained why he resisted conservative instructions during his development and why statistics do not guide his performances.
Speaking to TNT Sports Brazil, in an interview with journalist Fred Caldeira, the City player reflected on how his dribbling identity survived despite repeated calls to simplify his game.
Street football roots of Manchester City player
Asked about developing as a dribbler in a more structured football environment, Doku pointed to his early experiences away from academies.
“When I was younger, obviously, I played a lot on the street. Played a lot on the street, and I tried to bring that also on the pitch. I remember when I was young, a lot of the coaches told me, like, ‘Play simple, pass,’ and I just kept on doing what I did. When they saw that it was working, they obviously let me do my thing.”
Those experiences shaped his confidence and decision-making on the ball, traits that now define his role at Manchester City.
Confidence over caution
Doku stressed that the freedom he found early on still drives his approach in elite football.
“And that’s something that I always kept inside of me. So confident when I’m on the ball and trying to find the space and trying to dribble my way out. That’s where I feel comfortable with, and that’s always what I’m gonna try to do.”
The winger’s comments underline how individual expression remains central to his game, even within highly tactical systems.
Why Doku believes the numbers will follow
The Manchester City player also addressed the growing obsession with data and output in modern football.
“[Dribbling] is not just having fun. Obviously, it needs to be effective, but I’ll never be a stat guy that’s so much focused on the stats instead of focusing on his game. I feel like the stats will overflow out of my game, so I’m more focused on what I have to do, and I believe that the stats will follow afterwards.”
At City, where structure and discipline shape every role, Doku’s words highlight the balance between collective demands and personal expression. How that balance continues to develop over the season remains to be seen.