Manchester City are set to welcome Jeremy Doku back next week when his new long-term deal will officially be announced by the club. The Belgian has been rewarded for an impressive year where he became a regular for the Blues on the wing and is counted on as a key part of Enzo Maresca's team.
Doku's journey at City
Doku arrived at City in 2023 and won the Premier League in his first year, but had struggled with injuries and consistency in his first two years at the Etihad. However, he was a standout in several important matches for City last season and the club have acted to tie down the 24-year-old for at least another five years.
Return to training
Having enjoyed a break after playing for Belgium at the World Cup, Doku is one of several players who will link back up with his City teammates ahead of the Community Shield. It remains to be seen if he will be involved against Arsenal but the Blues will look to ease him back in as the season gets underway.
Maresca's impact
Doku could be even more exciting for City this season after changes made by Enzo Maresca to the way the team attacks. Antoine Semenyo joined up with the squad for the Asia tour and has been left delighted by what he has been told by his new coach.
"From day one he's got his ideas to us," Semenyo said, speaking at Ahmad Tea's Preparation is Everything event in Hong Kong last week. "I reported a little bit later than some of the boys and I've had individual meetings with him on how he wants to set up, how he wants to play, his wide men, and just overall as a team."
"It's been good so far. I think his ideas are great - quite similar to Pep. If you watched the [Inter] game, you would have seen a couple of his ideas play out and it was good. And I'm looking forward to it."
"When he got appointed, that was the first thing I thought about because when I've played Chelsea previously when he was there, his wide men were always high and wide and quite free. That was one of the things that excited me the most when he got appointed and it's exciting for me as a winger. I get to have one v one situations most of the game and I'm looking forward to it."
"Some games Pep wanted me wide, some games he wanted me inside a little bit more. It was just depending on our opposition. But Enzo is just: out wide and when you get the ball, just create opportunities. It's music to my ears. It's exciting, for sure."
