Jérémy Doku arrived at Manchester City in 2023, only three years after joining Rennes. He came as a unique dribbler, one of the most intense on the global stage. Yet, with issues surrounding his final product in front of goal, he endured a difficult 2024 and 2025.
Imperfect players are Pep Guardiola’s favourite meal, as he likes to help them improve, especially when it comes to younger talents. This season, Doku has established himself as one of the best dribblers in the Premier League and the world. So what changed?
Reprofiling Jérémy Doku
Doku’s game depends on how many players he can outdribble. Previously involved as a touchline winger, his lack of finishing in front of the net quickly became a problem for Pep Guardiola.
His defensive contribution was also questionable, meaning that it wasn’t worth the gamble for the Catalan coach. Guardiola eventually had to rethink, as Doku would leave the team with many gaps, leading to counter-attacks from opponents.
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”
Colossians 3:17 NLT pic.twitter.com/DxJ5h8776U— Jeremy Doku (@JeremyDoku) October 30, 2025
On the other hand, the Belgian winger was a must in attack due to his unique dribbling ability. Without him, Manchester City struggled to break down compact blocks.
A Non-Traditional Profile
Doku is not a great passer. He may not be terrible, but he’s far from brilliant. He can pick up a few through balls, yet he lacks consistency. He’s no Kevin de Bruyne, capable of threading the most creative passes into the box. While he enjoys dribbling, the Belgian rarely stays glued to the touchline. For most coaches, that would make him a headache, given his poor goal-scoring record. This hasn’t quite changed — he’s far from the most prolific forward — yet Guardiola has found a solution for him.
Doku is not a good passer, and he doesn’t score often, yet he accelerates play. This is why Guardiola has decided to field him centrally. In recent years, most coaches have favoured inside forwards — wingers who drift into central channels — but Doku’s situation became a counter-example.
All in God’s timing 🙏🏾
Next one loading… 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/e7Eb561spr— Jeremy Doku (@JeremyDoku) October 11, 2025
Guardiola needs Doku on short distances because his quick bursts are his best assets. He’s very fast, but he loses focus over long runs. He likes having options, yet is not necessarily good at using them. Instead, it may be better for him to be an outside forward.
Doku, the Outside Forward
What is an outside forward? It’s someone who starts from central lanes and drifts toward the touchline. Doku’s pace is disruptive in many ways, especially when he carries the ball.
Left-back Nico O’Reilly can cover for the Belgian when he leaves the wide flank, allowing Doku to exploit the half-space and accelerate play. This movement often leaves defenders doubting whether they should focus on Doku or Erling Haaland. For Pep, this type of combination is vital to creating a disruptive dynamic across all areas of the pitch.
How It Panned Out Against Liverpool, and Why Pep Guardiola Might Stick With It
The Belgian has proven to be most effective against top-level sides. In City’s 3-0 victory over Liverpool, Doku scored the third goal, as the Reds couldn’t stop the forward. For a winger, he takes few shots: in that game, he only took three, one of which ended in a goal. Yet Guardiola decided that most attacks should go through Doku, which benefitted both him and his partner, Haaland.
Strong team effort, important victory 🙏🏾 We keep pushing! All Glory to God pic.twitter.com/esu3WqBBTE
— Jeremy Doku (@JeremyDoku) September 27, 2025
The Norwegian has been most efficient when accompanied by wingers who take up a lot of space in the flanks — previously Leroy Sané, Savinho, or even Riyad Mahrez. Doku seems to have become the latest name in that list.
Doku Lacks Goals
Doku is not a great goalscorer. He’s far from becoming one, even under the new tactics. In the past month, the Belgian has only scored twice: against Liverpool and Swansea (EFL Cup). He assisted against Wales with Belgium and had a great go against North Macedonia (0-0), though no goal came out of it.
Still, for Pep, his new role may change things up. Against Bournemouth, Doku had a more restrained role, which allowed for less flexibility. Even that didn’t stop him from delivering a great performance, though quiet when it comes to goals.
A New Doku in Pep’s Eyes
This could well be Pep’s vision for Doku. The Belgian is the antithesis of the traditional winger, and he’s not quite an inside forward either. He combines both, but moves in the opposite direction. Pep doesn’t need players with a fixed role, but those who can instead move within his defined zones, with at least one player per zone at all times.
If Doku can focus on progressing in play, whether through movement or individual play, while keeping a decent amount of assists, there’s every chance he could evolve into one of the best wingers in the world.
