Jeremy Doku is not enjoying playing for Manchester City at this moment in time, with his playing style not suited to playing for a team who dominate like Pep Guardiola’s side do.
That’s according to Belgian analysts Fillip Joos and Tuur Dierckx, who believe the winger may instead be set to ‘play liberated’ at the European Championships.
Doku joined Manchester City in the summer transfer window in a €60m deal from Stade Rennais as the club looked to replace Riyad Mahrez.
He’s enjoyed a fruitful campaign so far, stepping up and impressing in a City side with five goals and six assists in 31 games to date.
However, questions have been raised about those numbers, particularly his two goals and five assists in 19 games in the Premier League, as four of those assists and one of the goals came in a 6-1 win over Bournemouth in November.
That puts a different light on the player’s first season at the Etihad, then, and Joos believes Manchester City’s style of play might have something to do with it.
“It is difficult for Doku to play for such a dominant team,” Joos told Sporza.
“He is regularly sought after, but as a player in a dominant team there is always a second defender. Grealish’s first year wasn’t great either. Doku had a debut season in the Premier League with some highlights. The statistics are nothing to write home about.
“Foden can choose the moments. For Doku, the moments are chosen. I can imagine that it will become more difficult mentally.
“Just like with a penalty, after a miss you doubt which way to go and also in this case whether or not you should pass the ball. It is extremely difficult for him when the defense is low. It may sound strange, but that is why I think he will play liberated at the European Championship.”
“It is not fun for him to play football at Man City now,” added Dierckx.
