Rennes insist that have not yet received an ‘official offer’ for Jeremy Doku amid interest from Premier League trio West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
Earlier this week, former Belgium international Philippe Albert told RTBF that a move to Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions would not be a classic case of too much, too soon for a 21-year-old winger still far from the finished article.
Jeremy Doku’s ‘incredible’ Eden Hazard-like abilities, Albert argues, makes the £45 million whizzkid a punt worth taking as far as Manchester City are concerned.
“He has incredible qualities that we discovered at Anderlecht,” said the one-time Newcastle favourite. “I don’t think the step (to Manchester City) is too high. He has the qualities to impose himself in the Premier League, or any other league in the world.
“If he is physically at 100 per cent, he will make his mark and scare the opponents. He’s a bit like Eden Hazard at the beginning of his career, with double and triple gears that can really hurt (defenders).”
Manchester City agree terms with Rennes’ Jeremy Doku
Doku’s dazzling performance during Rennes’ 5-1 opening day thrashing of Metz certainly did his burgeoning reputation no harm. According to Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri, the one-time Liverpool target has already agreed terms regarding a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, though rival interest from both West Ham and Tottenham could see a bidding war break out in the final weeks of the window.
Rennes’ sporting director, meanwhile, insists that – despite incessant speculation – the Brittany-based outfit have not yet received any ‘official offer’ for a player who turned down Liverpool as a teenager.
“There are still a fortnight left (before the transfer deadline). Things are going to happen,” Florian Maurice tells Stade Rennais Online. “We will try to master as many things as possible, which is not always easy.
“There will be one, maybe two departures. We will try to think at that time if we have to find a replacement. It’s too early to tell you.”
West Ham and Tottenham in pursuit
Manchester City’s spending power dwarves that of West Ham and Tottenham, of course. Ironically enough, however, City could inadvertently pave the way for West Ham to meet Rennes’ £47 million asking price, Lucas Paqueta’s potential Etihad switch putting another huge wad of cash in David Moyes’ pocket.
West Ham are eyeing Mohammed Kudus of Ajax too.
The Independent report that there is also interest from Tottenham in Doku. Spurs have money to spend after Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich last week.
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