An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United's transfer interest in Rennes flyer Jeremy Doku...

What's the talk?

According to The Chronicle, the Magpies are keeping tabs on the youngster as they draw up targets for the summer transfer window.

The report claims that they are monitoring his progress as they will continue to scout him throughout the rest of the campaign.

Saint-Maximin 2.0

The Toon must secure a deal for the Belgian teenager this summer, as he could be their next version of Allan Saint-Maximin on the wing in the years to come.

At the tender age of 19, he has already played 49 games for Rennes and produced four goals and five assists. This shows that he has room to improve and develop, and Eddie Howe could look forward to helping him fulfill his potential as a player.

Former Newcastle player Craig Bellamy once hailed Doku after working with him at Anderlecht, saying:

"Antwerp boy, tough kid, beyond talented. Don’t mess with him – you can’t talk down to him, because he’ll just go the other way. Get him onside, let him know you care about him because if you care about him, he’ll play like anything for you."

He has completed 3.2 dribbles per game on average in Ligue 1 this term, after managing 3.7 in the 2020/21 campaign for the French side. Meanwhile, Saint-Maximin completed 3.8 per game last season and is currently on a whopping 4.6 per match in the current campaign.

This suggests that they have a similar playing style in the sense that they constantly look to commit opposition players and burst past them with the ball at their feet.

To this point, Paris Saint-Germain winger Kylian Mbappe previously lauded the attacker because of his pace, saying: "Recently, I was speaking with my father about a player who impressed me because of his speed qualities, that is (Jérémy) Doku, at Rennes.

"In 5 years as a professional, I have never seen someone from a standing start demonstrate so much power."

These comments suggest that the 19-year-old has the speed required to run past players with the ball at Premier League level in the same way that Saint-Maximin does for Newcastle. This means that he could be an exciting prospective signing for the Magpies and get fans off their seats, which is why the club must secure a deal to bring him to St James' Park.

The current Toon star also made a name for himself in Ligue 1, with OCG Nice, and the Tyneside club could now repeat their masterclass with him by signing a similar player in Doku to bolster their wide options in the summer. However, he may be one with more of a view to the future given his young age, which means that he could develop into being at Saint-Maximin's level, rather than being there straight away.

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