How Jeremy Docu became Pep Guardiola’s latest Manchester City star

When recently asked if Jeremy Doku could reach the level of Vinicius Junior and Lamin Yamal, Pep Guardiola was in no doubt.

“Yes, for sure,” he said Manchester City Chief. “And he always accepted the push. He always accepted that. And that’s great. We’re really glad he’s winning games now. But it’s always been great.”

Doku has started to make a difference as a player and after three years with the club, he is starting to realize his great promise at City.

Still only 23, he was a Belgian winger Signed From Rennes for £55.4m in August 2023, City recognized his potential.

His pace and dribbling quality have always been best in class – underpinning a unique profile in the modern game.

Shaun Maloney, one of Doku’s former coaches in Belgium, told The Athletic that even during the European Under-17 Cup, the quality of the young winger was immediately apparent.

“What you see now with one-on-one dribbling was him back then. He’d take over in his own half and dribble 70, 80 yards,” Maloney said.

A few years later, Kylian Mbappé and his father sat in the stands during Doku’s first year playing for René.

“I spoke to my father about a player I noticed from the stands because of the speed of his steps,” Mbappe said.

“The player was Rennes Doku. In five years as a professional, I’ve never seen someone with more explosiveness in his first steps.”

With unique features, players can create strong careers, but becoming an elite side star comes from bringing those features together in their entirety – which Doku is just starting to do.

He will hope to help them win their second trophy of the campaign when they face Man City on Saturday Chelsea In the FA Cup Final at Wembley.