Every young player will hit a crossroads during their career path that will present the hopeful with a key decision that could prove to be pivotal in their development.
Before Jeremy Doku established himself as one of Europe’s best wingers and earned a £55million move to Manchester City from Rennes in 2023, it all began at Anderlecht, where he worked his way through the youth team ranks.
And it was during this period that he was forced to make a major decision and turn down the opportunity to develop under one of the game’s most influential characters.
Doku on turning down Liverpool
Doku made his senior debut for Anderlecht as a 16-year-old, but even before he appeared in the Belgian side’s first team, he was sounded out by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
“You could only sign a contract when you were 16,” Doku explains to FourFourTwo. “At 15, Anderlecht wanted me to sign, a lot of teams were interested and I went to visit Liverpool.
“I spoke with Jurgen Klopp, with Sadio Mane, and in the end, the decision was up to me.”
Rather than move to a new country at such a young age, Doku believed he would be better served remaining in Belgium.
“It didn’t feel right at that point,” he continues. “In England at that time, it wasn’t like it is now, where a lot of players from that young age go into the first team and are already performing.
“I felt like I’d have more chance to be in the first team quicker at Anderlecht and build my career up from there. If I was performing, they’d come again one day.
“That was my mentality, and I think I was right.”
The young Doku was able to call on the advice of another Belgian striker who was presented with the opportunity to move abroad at a young age, as Anderlecht arranged for their former forward, Romelu Lukaku, to record a message to outline why starting his career in Brussels helped him.
“He sent me a video,” Doku confirms. “People sometimes say that’s the reason why I stayed, but at that stage I didn’t need someone to tell me what to do. Trust me, at that young age, I felt like there was already a guidance inside, telling me which direction to go.
“Romelu gave me advice – my decision was already made, but it confirmed it. The money was bigger at Liverpool, but my decision was clear. I wanted to stay at Anderlecht, and here I am now.”
