Ney doubt Doku is the boy from Brazil in this Belgium team
Meunier: City winger reminds me of samba star
THOMAS MEUNIER reckons Manchester City signed the next Neymar when they snapped-up lightning-fast winger Jeremy Doku.
Belgium star Meunier spent three years with Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain.
And he recalls the Brazil forward was a nightmare to play against – even in training.
Now Meunier is backing international team- mate Doku to reach the same heights as the Brazilian superstar, despite an inconsistent start to his Etihad career following his £55million move from Rennes last summer.
Meunier, who will be tasked with keeping the Three Lions quiet at Wembley on Tuesday, said: “Doku has so much talent – and so much self - confidence too.
“He has not quite reached the level of
Neymar, who is the only player who could make me wince on the training pitch. I don’t get a headache playing against Doku. Well, not yet!
“But I really don’t rule it out that he will reach that level.” Doku burst onto the scene at the Etihad after being recruited to replace the creativity of Riyad Mahrez. His form was so electric that Jack Grealish was forced to accept a fight to win his place in the team.
The 21-year-old Belgian’s form has dipped in recent weeks but he still gives the Premier League champions the kind of unpredictable threat defenders hate.
Doku and PSV’s 20-year-old flier Johan Bakayoko have given Belgium a new devastating threat from the flanks in the wake of Eden H a z a rd’s retirement. With Kevin De Bruyne 3 2 , Romelu Lukaku 30 and
Jan Vertonghen 36, Meunier believes another Golden Generation is set to emerge.
He said: “This kid Doku and Bakayoko don’t know the word stress. They look as if they have been at the top level for years.
“There are fewer big names playing for Belgium but there is a lot of quality.
“I am not saying we will win the Euros but I do say with certainty that we won’t go out in the group stages. The future looks bright.”
In the short- term Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco will be without Thibaut Courtois as the former Chelsea keeper is recovering after knee surgery.
But that maybe the case in the long-term too as Real Madrid’s Courtois stormed out of the squad and threatened to retire from Belgium duty last summer after being overlooked as stand-in captain.
Meunier insisted: “I wasn’t in the dressing room. It’s between Thibaut and the coach but I don’t bel ieve that any door was closed.”