Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku picked up a calf injury during the Community Shield match against Arsenal, ruling him out for an estimated two to three weeks. The timing is about as inconvenient as it gets: City’s Premier League season opener against Bournemouth now looks set to go ahead without one of their most electric attacking options.
The injury occurred during City’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season.
A new deal, then a new problem
On August 13, just days before the injury, Doku put pen to paper on a new contract extending his stay at the Etihad Stadium through 2031, with the option of an additional year beyond that.
The deal was a clear signal of how central Doku has become to City’s plans. In his first full season after joining from Rennes for a reported fee of around 65 million euros in August 2023, the Belgian winger made 47 appearances across all competitions. He contributed 8 goals and 14 assists, numbers that reflect his role as both a creator and a direct threat.
