£25 million Rennes winger Jeremy Doku travelled to London for talks with Arsenal two years ago but a move to the Emirates never came to fruition, his farther told Gazet van Antwerpen.
There have been some rather bold claims made about this exciting young winger in recent times.
Roberto Martinez was left blown away after Doku capped his second-ever Belgium outing with a stunning goal in a 5-1 thrashing of Iceland, while even Kevin de Bruyne, a man who has shared a pitch with the most talented forwards in the world, believes the former Anderlecht starlet has a huge future ahead of him.
“He is nimble, fast and can dribble,” the Manchester City talisman told Reuters. “He is a diamond in the rough.”
Rennes paid £25 million to sign Doku in October with the Antwerp-born wonderkid finally leaving his native Belgium two years after holding talks with three of the biggest clubs in England.
Liverpool’s interest is well established, with Klopp believing Doku has the potential to be the ‘new Sadio Mane’, but this is the first time Arsenal has been mentioned in connection with Belgium’s next wing wondor.
“Two years ago we went to England and visited Liverpool and Arsenal,” David Doku, the player’s father, explains.
“We ran out of time (to secure a move to) Chelsea, but their interest was never so concrete.”
Doku, of course, is not the first exciting young talent who has slipped through Arsenal’s fingers.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a fresh-faced Yaya Toure were close to joining the London giants in the early 2000s and it remains to be seen whether Doku is another classic case of ‘one that got away’.
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