Both Liverpool and West Ham United could have had Jeremy Doku with the Manchester City star now blossoming into the ‘best dribbler in the world’ at Manchester City.
In an era of ‘ball retention’ wingers and safety-first football, Jeremy Doku is the most refreshing of throwbacks.
And, to think, he could have ended up at Liverpool instead. Doku was even given a guided tour around Liverpool’s training ground while still a teenager, Jurgen Klopp feeling that the then-little-known whizzkid could eventually step into Sadio Mane’s shoes at Anfield.
Now, say what you like about Klopp, the Reds boss knows a talent when he sees one, and his prediction that Doku would soon become one of the greatest attacking talents in Europe feels increasingly prescient as the £55 million dribble king strikes the fear of God into Premier League full-backs under Pep Guardiola.
Jeremy Doku shines at Manchester City
“He is really worldly at City,” Jan Boskamp, a former Anderlecht midfielder, tells Het Belang van Limburg. “His dribbling from a standing start is phenomenal. As a defender, you can’t blink or you’ll lose him.
“He is currently the best dribbler in the world. That is the advantage of playing in England. Suddenly the whole world knows him. Hopefully, he can continue this form for a while.”
According to The Guardian, West Ham United submitted a bid for Doku over the summer, mere days before he put pen to paper on a long-term deal at the Etihad Stadium instead. Now, anyone au fait with Guardiola’s methods probably knew that Doku would quickly go from strength-to-strength at City. But few probably expected that Doku would make such an immediate impact, a powertool amid the City paintbrushes.
Doku already has two goals and five assists in nine Premier League apperances.
Liverpool and West Ham missed out
“He’s surprised all of us. He’s a great footballer,” Guardiola beamed after Doku set up no fewer than four of Man City’s six goals against Bournemouth earlier in November (One Football).
“He reads every action, exactly what he has to do. Of course, that quality close to the box, we always talk about that.
“He creates something for the crowd. When he takes the ball and goes everybody is excited. Myself too. Something is going to happen, and it’s happened.”
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