Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku says he is reluctant to be compared to Eden Hazard.
The 21-year-old plays the same position as the former Chelsea player and there is a certain amount of pressure on him to step up and perform for his national team now his fellow countryman has retired. When asked how he feels about being Hazard’s successor, Doku said:
“Phew. Taking over the role of Eden? That is very intense. I want to be myself first and foremost, but I do notice that people really like me.”
“They have been extra sweet and friendly since I transferred to Manchester City and have had some good performances. I give everything in every match, but you just have to tell me if I am the new favourite.”
Pundits have been championing Doku
Belgium Under 19 assistant manager Erik van Meir, who also works as a pundit, hailed the winger as “even more explosive” than Hazard last month, so comparisons are certainly being made between the two players.
Of course, Doku is right to keep his feet firmly on the ground. He has a long way to go before he can be mentioned in the same breath as the Chelsea legend.
The City star looks more effective as an impact player
Doku is still pretty young and, while there is no doubt that he possesses the potential to go far in the game, there are questions over whether he can be relied upon to be a regular starter for City.
As we saw against RB Leipzig, when he scored and provided an assist in the space of 20 minutes, you do feel that he can make more of an impact off the bench. We shall see how manager Pep Guardiola chooses to use him after the international break.
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