When Jeremy Doku was ready to set sail and cross the Channel, it was presumed that Jurgen Klopp would be waiting for him at the Royal Albert docks, waving the Belgium international ashore with one of those gleaming toothy grins and a trademark bear hug.
Liverpool’s interest in Doku goes back some way you see. A story woven throughout the young winger’s career.
He was still a teenager when Klopp gave him a guided tour around Liverpool’s Melwood training ground, going as far as to proclaim the Anderlecht academy graduate the ‘new Sadio Mane’.
“I was able to talk to Jurgen, (Sadio) Mane, (Gini) Wijnaldum, (Steven) Gerrard too,” Doku remembers.
“I know which route I had to take and I knew that at that point I had to stay at Anderlecht. And as soon as I am asked whether I regret (turning down Liverpool), I say ‘no’ all the time.
“If they like me, they’ll come back later, that’s for sure.”
But as Liverpool stumped up £37 million for Porto’s Luis Diaz during the January transfer window, Doku’s confidence must have taken quite the hit.
Will Jeremy Doku now end up at Newcastle United instead?
Rennes’ £26 million record signing was ‘sure’ that Liverpool would come calling again if he maintained the sort of form he displayed when rising through the ranks at Anderlecht.
But with Diaz making a lively start to life in Liverpool red – producing a mesmerising assist en debut against Cardiff City and tipping the balance of Wednesday’s Inter Milan clash in the away side’s favour – it’s difficult to see where Doku would fit in.
He, like Diaz, is a left-sided forward who loves cutting in onto his favoured right boot. If Klopp wants someone capable of competing with and eventually replacing Mane, he’s found one in the Colombian international.
So where does that leave Doku?
Well, even if Liverpool are out of the picture, there will still be plenty of clubs queuing up to take a player labelled a ‘diamond’ by none other than Kevin de Bruyne from Brittany to Britain.
Is Luiz Diaz Liverpool’s new Mane?
Newcastle United prioritised proven Premier League quality in the January window because they had to. Short-term quick fixes were the order of the day with survival on the line.
But Newcastle’s long-term strategy revolves around talented, up-and-coming youngsters with vast potential. A la Karim Adeyemi, Hugo Ekitike and Sven Botman.
That should go some way to explaining why scouts on behalf of the Magpies have been watching Doku closely too. According to The Chronicle anyway.
While one door closes, another appears to have opened for a player who turned down a move to Merseyside but could now set sail for the Tyne instead.
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