Former Liverpool transfer target Jeremy Doku put in a creative performance for new side Rennes last night. The 18-year-old is enjoying regular minutes after moving from native country Belgium to join the Ligue 1 outfit earlier this month.

But his destiny could have been extremely different after the Reds registered interest in him this summer. According to Het Nieuwsblad, the Premier League champions were eyeing up a potential £23million swoop for the exciting teenager. Liverpool's summer talks weren't the first time Doku has been on their radar either.

In 2016, the youngster visited Merseyside to chat with Jurgen Klopp over a potential move to Liverpool. According to Doku's father, the manager had said "he saw a potential successor to Sadio Mane in Jeremy," (via talkSPORT). However, talks died down then and seemingly again this time round, which is an error Michael Edwards and Klopp will be kicking themselves for.

Jeremy Doku stats

Despite Rennes losing their league match against Angers, the winger put in a very creative performance for his side. According to Sofascore, Doku registered a whopping seven successful dribbles from the right flank, as well as 87 touches and nine successful duels. His pace and confidence with the ball at his feet certainly suggests he could be a fine deputy to Liverpool's Mane, but he still has a lot to learn.

Doku lost possession a hefty 24 times last night and struggled to register a single shot on target. Whilst he may still be settling into a new team and a new country, he is far from recreating his form in the Jupiler League. His last two appearances for Anderlecht saw him notch a goal and three assists, taking his overall total for the club to six goals and seven assists (via Transfermarkt).

Kevin de Bruyne recently described the youngster as a "diamond in the rough", after encountering his skills during international duty with Belgium (via footballghana.com). With professionals already identifying his raw talent and ability to become a really special player, Liverpool will be furious that they let such a promising starlet slip through their fingers.

As it stands, the Reds are short on attackers and could hugely benefit from Doku's versatility and likeness to both Mane and Mohamed Salah in his style of play. At just 18, he is definitely worth the initial investment as he undoubtedly grows into a star.

In other news, Liverpool may have identified a cut-price replacement for Virgil van Dijk...