Summer signing Jeremy Doku absolutely shone as Manchester City smacked six past Bournemouth at the weekend, managing to set two different Premier League records in what was just his 14th appearance in sky blue.
The rapid winger, who joined Man City from French side Stade Rennais in the most recent transfer window, has only just completed more than a dozen matches for the treble-winners and has only played eight league games and just sixth from the starting lineup.
However, it hasn’t taken the young man long to make his mark in Pep Guardiola’s side, having already impressed both domestically and in Europe, registering three goals and six assists already.
But it was Doku’s dazzling display against the Cherries on Saturday that saw him enter a very exclusive club, becoming not only the youngest person to equal the record for the most assists in a single Premier League game (four) but the youngest player to ever be involved in five goals too. Wow.
5 & 4 – With one goal and four assists at the age of 21 years and 161 days, Jérémy Doku has become both the youngest player in Premier League history with five goal involvements in a single game, as well as the youngest player to assist four goals. Griddy. pic.twitter.com/ipIAYBqK6C
Speaking after the game, his manager insisted that the youngster might have got off to a bit of a “shy” start but that not only is he “the fastest over five metres” you’ll find anywhere in Europe and is “an incredible footballer”, adding that his direct dribbling is somewhat of a rarity these days.
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Doku has no doubt given Jack Grealish a bit of a challenge on that left-hand side now too, with the Catalan coach saying that he wants the England star to be “angry” whenever he doesn’t play. You can see the full highlights from City’s 6-1 rout against Bournemouth (a.k.a. his personal showreel) below:
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Pep‘s squad is that they also recorded such a comprehensive victory without their two main goalscorers contributing to the tally on this occasion, as neither Erling Haaland nor Julian Alvarez got on the scoresheet this time.
When you have the numbers Haaland can put up, as well as an emerging striker like Alvarez, and now goals coming from everywhere else in the team too, that’s a force to be reckoned with.
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With Doku already announcing himself as a record-breaker so early into his time not only at the club but in English football in general, the Blues look like they might just have another world-beater on their hands — unlucky for everyone else in the league.
Meanwhile, over on the other side of Manchester, while Erik ten Hag’s side might have gotten back to winning ways with a dramatic late goal from captain Bruno Fernandes — who Roy Keane has argued shouldn’t even have the armband – but they’re breaking all kinds of unwanted records this season.
Featured Image — Manchester City/Jeremy Doku (via Instagram)
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Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
6th November 2023 
