The 21-year-old Belgian winger becomes our third signing of the summer transfer window, following in the footsteps of Croatian duo Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol who joined the club earlier this summer.
Comfortable operating on either flank, Doku has emerged as one of the most exciting and highly rated young wingers operating in the European game.
A Belgian international with 14 senior caps to his name so far, Doku has operated with distinction in both the Belgian and French top flights as well as boasting Champions League experience to boot as well.
He began his senior career in his home country with Anderlecht, making his first team debut for the Club in 2018 at the age of just 16 and going on to make 37 senior appearances in total, scoring six goals, before then joining Stade Rennais in the autumn of 2020.
Having made the move to Ligue One, Doku continued to prosper in the French topflight where his blistering pace, mesmeric dribbling skill, and excellent technical ability marking him out as one of Europe’s top emerging talents.
All told, Doku went on to make 92 appearances across all competitions for Stade Rennais, registering 12 goals and 10 assists.
His talents were also quickly recognised at international level. Doku earned his fist senior Belgium cap in 2020 and has subsequently gone on to win 14 caps to date, representing his country at both EURO 2020 and the 2022 World Cup finals.
Doku says he is hugely excited to have joined City and is eagerly looking forward to furthering his football education under the guidance of manager Pep Guardiola.
“This is a great day for me, both personally and professionally,” Doku said.
“Manchester City are the best team in world football, so to be joining them is something very special for me and my family.
“I am a young player with so much learning and improving to do. Working with Pep and his staff, and playing alongside these work-class players, will make me a much better player. I feel sure of that.
“Watching City last season was amazing. To win the Treble is the hardest thing in football and they did it. You cannot imagine how exciting it is to be joining this team.
“I cannot wait to get started. Hopefully I can make the fans happy.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain expressed his own delight at Doku’s arrival at the Etihad.
“Jeremy is a very exciting young player and I’m so pleased he’s joining us.
“In terms of raw attributes, he has everything a winger needs. He has outstanding pace and he is exceptional in one-on-one situations.
“I honestly believe working with Pep and the technical staff here at City will see him develop into a world-class attacking talent.”
Everyone at Manchester City is delighted to welcome Jeremy to the club and we all wish him well during his time here.
Upwardly mobile
If any promising young footballer arrives armed with the exciting attributes to further develop and prosper at Manchester City, surely it’s Jeremy Doku.
The 21-year-old has made the move to the Etihad armed with a glowing reputation after establishing himself as one of European football’s most exciting and vibrant young wingers.
To date, his career trajectory has been one of constant progression – and there is also a compelling narrative linking him with leading City figures past and present that helps underscore that impressive development to date.
It was while former City skipper and defensive legend Vincent Kompany was at the helm with Anderlecht in Doku’s native Belgium that his fledgling career first began to ignite.
Having first joined the Belgian side as a 10-year-old, Doku made his senior debut at the age of 16 in 2018 and then, after Kompany had arrived to take charge as player-manager in the summer of 2019, the young winger’s fledgling career really took flight.
Blessed with an explosive turn of pace, comfortable in possession with both feet and adept at operating on either the right or left wings, Doku was armed with myriad compelling attacking attributes.
Add to that a hunger to learn and prosper it was little surprise that he quickly prospered on the senior stage.
Having been christened the Belgian Flash thanks to his lightning pace his progress soon attracted attention outside of his club environment and so it was that in the autumn of the 2020, Doku made the move to join French Ligue One side Stade Rennais.
For the majority of 18-year-olds, the move to both a new club and new country would represent a hugely significant test at both a personal and professional level.
As if that wasn’t enough, Doku also had to cope with the added scrutiny and expectation that inevitably accompanied him having also become the most expensive signing in Stade Rennais’s history.
Doku however thrived on the challenge.
The chance to test himself in a new environment, alongside new teammates and against unfamiliar opponents helped lift his game and development to a new level as he quickly adapted to life in Rennes.
So much so that in his maiden season with the Club, Doku went on to complete 110 dribbles, the most by any player aged 23 or under in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
He also accumulated 12 successful dribbles in a match against Bordeaux on May2, breaking the previous French Ligue 1 record of 11 which had been set by Neymar for Paris Saint Germain.
Though injury meant that Doku was restricted to 14 appearances in the 2021/22 season, scoring one goal in Ligue One, after careful reintroduction to the squad last term, his influence and impact saw him go on to make a major contribution in the latter stages of the 2022/23 campaign.
Having inherited the Number 10 shirt in the winter of 2022, having previously worn the number 11 jersey, Doku went onto play his first full 90 minutes for the first time since May 2021 on February 23 against Toulouse.
Doku claimed his first brace for the Club in April against Reims and he went on to claim six league goals in total, helping Rennes to finish fourth in Ligue One and so qualify for the Europa League.
On the international stage meanwhile, it has been a similar story of constant progression, with Doku representing Belgium at every level from Under-15s through to senior level.
Afforded his senior international debut in 2020, Doku has subsequently gone on to represent his country at both EURO 2020 and the 2022 World Cup finals.
His impact at international level saw him score on only his second international appearance in a EURO Nations League clash against Iceland back in November 2020.
It was a display that garnered widespread praise - not least from Red Devils colleague and now new City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne who was immediately taken with Doku’s prowess.
Speaking after Doku had found the target against Iceland a 5-1 win, De Bruyne declared: “He is nimble, fast and he can dribble.
“Of course, he sometimes makes a mistake, but who doesn’t? He is a diamond in the rough.”
Now he is ready to embark on his latest challenge as he joins Guardiola’s star-studded City squad.
If his career progression to date is anything to go by, City’s latest diamond is set to shine bright.
Season by season stats
2018/19: Anderlecht
Played: 6
2019/20: Anderlecht
Played: 24
Goals: 4
Assists: 3
2020/21: Anderlecht
Played: 7
Goals: 2
Assists: 4
2020/21: Stade Rennais
Played: 37
Goals: 2
Assists: 4
2021/22: Stade Rennais
Played: 18
Goals: 2
Assists: 2
2022/23: Stade Rennais
Played: 35
Goals: 7
Assists: 4
2023/24: Stade Rennais
Played: 2
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
