2F68684 Belgium's Jeremy Doku reacts during a qualification game for the World Cup 2022 in the group E between the Belgian national team Red Devils and Belaru

Journalist claims Liverpool are “best placed” for Jeremy Doku move

Jeremy Doku has long been on Liverpool’s radar, with numerous reports linking the Reds to having made a move, and now they have resurfaced with his future beyond next summer under question.

The 19-year-old winger caught Europe’s attention first at Anderlecht and then with Rennes, all of which culminated in his rise to Belgium’s first team, who handed him his debut at just 17.

Doku is an exciting talent and has already turned down two moves to Anfield, first in 2018 and then in 2020, the latter due to not being ready to make the step up to a “top club” just yet.

“I knew that I first wanted to make an intermediate step. Going to a top club now would be too soon,” Doku explained his reasoning back in January.

“I still have a lot to learn and Rennes is the ideal place for that.

“As soon as I’m asked if I regret it, I always say no, because if Liverpool came to me at 15, if they like me, they’ll come back later, that’s certain. It’s up to me to play well.”

And that could come as soon as next summer, as RTL Sport journalist Alexandre Braeckman has claimed “Liverpool [are] best placed at this stage” for Doku, who “could go away this summer.”

MUNICH, GERMANY - JULY 02: Jeremy Doku of Belgium reacts during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Quarter-final match between Belgium and Italy at Football Arena Munich on July 02, 2021 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann - UEFA)

The teenager has attracted widespread interest and the suggestion is that he could leave Rennes at the end of what will be his second season with the French club.

But Braeckman also explained that “no club has made a firm offer yet” for Doku, who has seen a hamstring injury disrupt his 2021/22 season to date having managed just 232 minutes across four games.

One would expect him to demand a fee in excess of the £23 million Rennes parted with to sign the youngster in 2020 and while the reliability of this report is unclear, Liverpool testing the waters wouldn’t be a surprise considering their long-term interest.

Capable of playing on either wing, Doku would tick plenty of boxes for the Reds and he would add a younger age profile into an otherwise ageing forward line and if he does become available there is a discussion to be had.

There is a lot of time until then and Doku will no doubt be focused on getting back onto the pitch and on the scoresheet having not done so for Rennes since April.