Jeremy Dokus ongoing rise in performance levels for Manchester City has sparked a debate in his home country over his future prospects within the game.
The Antwerp-born dynamo out wide for Manchester City joined the club in the summer of 2023 for £55 million from French club Stade Rennes following the sensational Treble-winning season for the Blues.
Since making the switch to the Etihad Stadium, the clubs No.11 has experienced intermittent form throughout his three campaigns thus far, reaching a century of appearances, finding the net 17 times, and turning provider on 22 occasions through assists.
It was obvious from the very start that Jeremy Doku was a talented player, but he seemingly lacked a killer instinct and final product. Now though, the 23-year-old is really coming into his own, taking a huge step up in performances of late for Manchester City.
This was further exemplified during the 3-0 win over Liverpool where Doku stole the show, emerging as a constant and relentless threat down the left of attack, as his dynamism and electrifying pace proved simply too much for the Reds to handle in a Player of the Match performance.
The Belgium international would add to his creative spark and dominance of opposing right-back Conor Bradley by scoring a sensational individual goal during the second-half to cap off an exemplary performance against the reigning Premier League champions.
Jeremy Doku has since received rightful praise from all corners, and journalist Jan Mulder has stated in his column for Humo that the Manchester City wide-man can become the most famous Belgian of all time if he continues his current form.
If Doku sees five centimetres of space between four players, he slips through, he said. When someone has delivered an exceptionally good or beautiful performance, the people of Groningen say, Could have been worse. Today, I wont do that.
Mulder continued, Ive seen Jeremy Doku and am desperately searching for lyricism to do justice to his game, to match his dribbling, to explain this spectacle on football boots. Is Doku on his way to becoming the best Belgian footballer of all time?
Better than [Paul] Van Himst, [Wilfried] Van Moer, [Eden] Hazard, and [Kevin] De Bruyne? Because Doku touched that podium full of golden boots on that unforgettable Sunday. Ive studied the images of all the illustrious dribblers on the touchline again.
Garrincha, Stanley Matthews, Rüdiger Abramzcik, Nacka Skoglund, George Best, Jørgen Kristensen, and Bertus de Harder. Dokus skills bear striking similarities to Garrinchas. Receiving the ball and standing still, feigning a dribble with his hips, doing nothing, moving his foot menacingly back and forth above the ball, remaining still. And suddenly, Garrincha and Doku are out of sight at a devastating speed down the sideline.
On Sunday, November 9th, it was the turn of the champions, Liverpool, to get dizzy. If manager Guardiola plays him every week, Jeremy Doku will become the best and most famous Belgian of all time.
The Belgian speedster was out of this world against the current title holders in English football, and if he can stay fit and firing following the forthcoming international break and continue his superb form at club level, he will be an invaluable asset for Pep Guardiola.