Manchester City have completed the signing of young Belgian forward Jeremy Doku from French outfit Stade Rennais, the club announced on Thursday.
The 21-year-old Belgian international moves to the Etihad outfit on a five-year deal for a reported fee of about €60 million after spending the last three seasons in Ligue One.
Doku becomes City’s third signing of the summer transfer window, following the arrival of the Croatian duo of Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol.
Welcome to City, @JeremyDoku! ???? pic.twitter.com/hSEbehFDz9
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 24, 2023
He made his first senior appearance for Anderlecht in 2018 at the age of just 16, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in 37 senior matches in his two years with the Belgian powerhouse.
The youngster then moved to Stade Rennais in October 2020 on an initial five-year deal worth around €26 million. While in France, he played 92 times for the Roazhon Park club, notching 12 goals and assisting another 10.
Doku possesses a blistering pace, superior technical ability, and otherworldly dribbling ability that earmark him as one of the best dribblers in Europe’s top leagues and also one of the biggest talents in European football at the moment.
He expressed his delight at joining the Premier League champions while promising to give his all as he looks to build his career under the tutelage of arguably the best coach in the world, Pep Guardiola.
“This is a great day for me, both personally and professionally,” he 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.”
The Belgian, whom many experts have touted as the replacement for already-departed Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez after his move to Saudi Arabia, will don the No. 11, which was last worn by Oleksandr Zinchenko prior to his departure to Arsenal, for last season’s treble winners.
The Cityzens will hope to continue their 100 percent start to the new campaign when they return to action against newly promoted Sheffield United, and Doku will have his eyes set on making his debut at Bramall Lane.
