Since their takeover in 2008, Manchester City have had a strong hold on English football. It took them a few seasons to build a title-challenging team, but the Citizens eventually managed to do just that, and now have eight Premier League titles to their name.
Although this season has been tough for City, and it feels like they are set for another transitional period, Pep Guardiola’s side is filled with exceptional players. That is perhaps an obvious statement, given they have won four Premier League titles in a row, a streak which seems like it will come to an end this term.
City’s squad is full of big names, some of whom were even nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Man City's 2024 Ballon d'Or nominees
In total, City had three nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Of course, one of those went on to win the most prestigious individual prize in football.
Defensive midfielder Rodri took home the gong, incredibly becoming the first Premier League player to win the award since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.
It was a decision that Guardiola agreed with. The legendary City boss gave a simple answer on why he believed Rodri deserved to win, simply saying “because he’s the best”.
The other two City players nominated for the award in 2024 were Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. City’s number nine finished fifth in the rankings, behind Rodri and Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal. He scored 38 goals in 2024.
As for Foden, he came in 11th place, pipped to a top 10 finish by England teammate Harry Kane. It was no surprise that City’s number 47 ranked so highly.
After all, he won several prestigious awards at the end of last season, including the Premier League Player of the Year, the Football Writer’s Association Footballer of the Year and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
There is no reason to suggest why a City player cannot rank highly, or even win, the Ballon d’Or again in the future. In fact, one player has been touted as a potential contender for the famous honour one day.
Man City's new Ballon d'Or contender in waiting
Each player has played a huge part in City’s success over the past few seasons, even if they only joined ahead of their most recent league title.
That is the case for Jeremy Doku, an enigmatic figure who made the move to the Etihad Stadium from French side Rennes for £55.5m, as a direct replacement for Riyad Mahrez.
The young Belgian winger has been really impressive in the famous sky blue shirt so far, featuring in 68 games for the club, scoring 12 goals and grabbing 15 assists.
Perhaps his best contribution came last term against Bournemouth when he assisted three goals and scored one of his own in a 6-1 win.
The winger has performed well this season, too. In 25 games across all competitions, the dazzling Belgian has found the back of the net six times and provided a further seven assists. Those 13 goals and assists are worth more when you consider the fact he has played 1357 minutes, the equivalent of just 15 full 90-minute games.
Football analyst Umir recently said he is “a Ballon d’Or podium player in the future”, a bold call but one justified when looking at his recent performances.
Doku is one of the deadliest dribblers in the Premier League, and his numbers via FBref are simply outstanding. For example, in the top flight throughout 2024/25, he averages 6.04 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 1% of wingers.
Take-ons attempted
11.17
99th
Take-ons completed
6.04
99th
Progressive carries
12.73
99th
Carries into final third
5.4
99th
Carries into final third
4.77
99th
With all that in mind, it might not be a surprise to hear that City have struck gold on the Belgian when it comes to his value. Doku is thought to be worth as much as £76m according to CIES Football Observatory, a huge increase of more than £20m from what they originally paid.
This is a signing that City nailed. Not only did they sign someone who is excellent in the present, but also could become a world-beater in the future. The Citizens certainly hit the jackpot on one of the Premier League’s most dynamic wingers.
Better than Haaland: Man City's 8/10 "cheat code" is now undroppable
Manchester City put recent disappointment behind them with a solid 1-0 away victory at Tottenham Hotspur.
1 ByKelan SarsonFeb 27, 2025
