Jeremy Doku: 2023/24 season overview | OneFootball

One of the world’s most exciting young wingers, Jeremy Doku gave us a taste of his potential in his first season in Manchester.

The 22-year-old was a livewire throughout his 43 appearances, utilising his blistering pace to unsettle defenders and create space for his team-mates.

It traditionally takes attacking players time to get to grips with Pep Guardiola’s style of football and bed themselves into the team.

However, the Belgian hit the ground running after his late August move from Rennes to score in just his second game.

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Doku had previously spent much of his fledgling career on the right wing, but Guardiola spotted that his new No.11 could be even more effective on the left.

That’s where the winger started at West Ham and it was when cutting in from that wide position that he curled the ball inside the far post to devastating effect.

It was a beautiful goal and one that had City fans purring about the prospect of seeing this talent develop.

His standout performance came in the 6-1 home rout of Bournemouth in November, when he scored one and became the first City player ever to register four assists in a single Premier League game.

After opening the scoring following a neat one-two with Rodrigo, he then set about pushing the Cherries defence back into their own box.

From there, he was able to supply Bernardo Silva twice and Phil Foden once, with his other assist coming via a shot that was deflected in off Manuel Akanji.

WATCH: Jeremy Doku Best Of 2023/24

A muscle injury in December slowed down his progress and his loss of confidence saw him struggle to make telling contributions early in the new year.

That all turned back around in April, with the 4-1 home demolition of Champions League chasing Aston Villa that set City off on a run of nine consecutive wins that eventually earned us the title.

Foden scored a hat-trick that night and was the undisputed star of the show, but the England international was quick to praise the impact of his team-mate.

“I thought he was frightening – he’s so dangerous one v one and helped us massively today to beat the full-back,” he said after the game.

“He’s a fantastic talent and he’s only going to keep on getting better working under Pep as well.”

Guardiola’s impact on the winger was starting to show at this point, with Doku patient in possession and able to effectively choose when to take his man on and when to find the pass.

He followed that up with a goal against Luton Town and an electrifying cameo in the second leg with Real Madrid.

Then came a telling impact in the two pivotal games in the final week of the campaign.

On a tense night at Spurs, City were 1-0 up in added time but had been forced to defend doggedly.

That was until Doku got one-on-one with Pedro Porro and gave the full-back twisted blood, earning the penalty which Erling Haaland duly converted.

WATCH: Jeremy Doku's best moments in 2023/24

Then came the final day, and perhaps the assist that best illustrates the kind of winger Guardiola will hope to continue to mould Doku into.

Our man had the beating of West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal all afternoon, until the full-back stepped off him far enough for Doku to slide a pass through a crowded box and into Foden’s path.

It perfectly demonstrated why Doku doesn’t need to beat his defender every time – especially when he has the talent to pick out passes like that.

After those celebrations, City were off the boil in the FA Cup final. Doku’s half-time introduction was the true ray of light for Guardiola’s men, with the Belgian getting the ball repeatedly.

He made plenty happen, squeezing a shot under Andre Onana to drag us back into the game. It didn’t prove to be enough on the day, but Doku could be proud of his efforts.

Already a Premier League champion, every City fan should be excited about seeing what Jeremy Doku can produce in the years to come.

2023/24 stats

Matches: 43

Starts: 20

Minutes: 2,181

Goals: 6

Assists: 9

In his own words

“Confidence is a huge part and when I’ve got confidence, I know I can get past the man and if I don’t, next time I go again and again. I believe I can get past him."

Pep on Doku

Speaking after the FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea, Guardiola said:  “When he arrived against West Ham, he was in top level.

“Always when he came from the bench, but his impact was not good.

“We talked about that. He changed the game. He is an incredible, exceptional player.

“Close to the box, he is unbelievable, but he has to improve.”