With the backing of his family, Doku made the switch to French side Stade Rennes for a club record deal in 2020. He went on to complete 110 dribbles in his debut season at Roazhon Park — the most by any player aged 23 or under in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
He also completed 12 successful dribbles in a match against Bordeaux, breaking the previous Ligue 1 record of 11, set by Neymar for Paris Saint Germain.
Neymar’s then-teammate Kylian Mbappe was blown away. “I recently spoke with my father about a player who caught my attention from the stands because of his pace. It was Doku from Rennes,” he said in 2021. “In my five years as a professional, I’ve never seen someone with such explosiveness in his first steps.”
The compliments kept on coming. After a game against Stade de Reims, opposition left-back Thibault De Smet said it was “impossible” to stop him.
“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever played against,” De Smet told reporters. “The only thing that can help is defending with two men. But when you face him one-on-one, with his starting speed, he only needs to give the ball one tap to pass you.”
As Doku continued to flourish, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made a telling comment on Spanish television in 2022 that appeared to signal his tactical intent. “Today football is losing the dribble,” he said. “Without players who dribble, nothing can be done.”
In total, Doku made 92 appearances across all competitions for Rennes, registering 12 goals and 10 assists across a three-year spell. He was also making a real impression at national level alongside Eden Hazard all those years after watching him tear up the Premier League on television.
That form was enough to peak the interest of treble winners City. In fact, a year after Pep Guardiola stressed the importance of dribbling, City made a statement when they announced the signing of one of Europe’s most explosive wingers.
“Like I’ve said, I always aspired to play in the Premier League as a child. I really admired Manchester City’s approach and their interest in me. I was already convinced by their track record and when a team like Manchester City shows interest in you, it’s a pleasure to hear such positive feedback.”
“I arrived at Rennes I when I was 18 and I learned so much in my three years there. However, I also felt ready to take another step in my career,” he tells us.
Doku’s ability to break through opposition lines with his direct and unpredictable style almost goes against the grain at City, who are more known for grinding teams down by being patient in possession.
Even the man himself was surprised to slot into Pep’s system with such ease.
“I expected adapting to be more complicated, based on what I had watched on television,” he says when asked about the system. “But honestly, what he asks from me is quite simple.
“He just wants me to do what I’m good at and to be natural. He always strives to place me in the best positions to show what I’m truly capable of. He wants me to showcase my dribbling and defence to the best of my abilities.
“Of course, sometimes it’s difficult. However, he helps me a lot and so does the rest of the team. I am very happy with how things are going.”
Doku knows that Guardiola’s presence has only enhanced his overall game.
“Most of his advice has been adapting my positions on the pitch to explore my dribbling skills further,” he continues. “Whether that’s being more in front of the goal, his advice can be minimal but always filled with so much detail.”
“Any games we couldn’t watch live, we’d always watch on Match of the Day,” he tells us after becoming the face of the latest Nike Underwear collection.
“That’s when I really fell in love with the Premier League. I enjoyed having the opportunity to see players on the pitch that you wouldn’t always get to watch very often. The show also played a big part in me deciding to join the Premier League, as it always kept me inspired growing up.”
That ambition to play in England’s top flight can be traced back to those memorable evenings.
Jeremy and his older brother Jefferson would try and replicate the goals they’d seen on one of the few concrete pitches in Borgerhout. And only when the lights went out did they venture back home through the cobbled streets of Antwerp.
