Jeremy Doku on Guardiola’s call that sealed Manchester City move

Jeremy Doku has opened up on how a personal conversation with Pep Guardiola convinced him to join Manchester City in a £55 million move from Rennes in August 2023.

The Belgian winger told FourFourTwo that Rennes were initially reluctant to sell, but a strong offer from City shifted the negotiations in his favour.

“I had a good relationship with the sporting director, and he told me that if City committed to a good amount, they’d let me leave,” Doku said. “I spoke with Pep and obviously you don’t need a lot of convincing to go to City.”

Doku also sought clarity on his role before committing to the Premier League champions. “I wanted to play, and I wanted to be sure that if I joined City, would I just be there to be there, or do they really count on me? But he showed his interest in me, which made me comfortable signing.”

That trust has been repaid on the pitch. Doku famously produced four assists and a goal in a 6-1 win over Bournemouth, equalling the Premier League record for most assists in a single match. He finished the 2025-26 league campaign with 5 goals and 7 assists in 30 appearances, after registering 3 goals and 6 assists in 29 games the previous season.