Anderlecht may be forced to sell Jeremy Doku to Liverpool if the Premier League champions make an “insane offer”, chief executive Karel van Eetvelt has told Het Nieuwsblad.
After spending the past five years sharing a dressing room with Eden Hazard, Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling, it’s fair to say Kevin de Bruyne knows what it takes to become one of the finest wingers in world football.
And once Doku cut inside and whipped a stunning shot into the top corner during Belgium’s 5-1 Nations League thrashing of Iceland last week, the Manchester City talisman could hardly contain himself.
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“He is nimble, fast and can dribble,” De Bruyne told Reuters. “Of course he can sometimes make a mistake – but who doesn’t? He is a diamond in the rough.”
Jurgen Klopp obviously thinks so too.
In 2018 Liverpool invited a then-15-year-old Doku for a tour of Melwood and, turning that gleaming white smile up to 11, Klopp announced plans to turn the Anderlecht wonderkid into the ”new Sadio Mane”.
Doku would reject Klopp’s advances but, two years on, Nieuwsblad claims Liverpool are weighing up another offer for their long-time transfer target.
- ‘A diamond’: De Bruyne blown away by reported Liverpool and Newcastle target
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“(Are we) anxious? Never,” Van Eetvelt says when asked about interest from the English champions.
“If, say, Liverpool suddenly come up with an insane offer, you have to look at it. How much (would we sell Doku for)? I prefer not to add an amount.”
Van Eetvelt did suggest Anderlecht would take a leaf out of Gent’s book after their Jupiler League rivals sold a star forward of their own, Jonathan David, to Lille for a fee in the region of £27 million.
De Bruyne’s praise might have added a penny or two on to an already rising price tag.
Liverpool’s trophies under Jurgen Klopp
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Champions League
2018/19
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UEFA Super Cup
2019
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FIFA Club World Cup
2019
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Premier League
2019/20
In other news, Report: Ainsley Maitland-Niles still deciding Arsenal future as Wolves return