We will not see Jérémy Doku again before March. This is implicitly what Bruno Genesio implied during the last pre-match press conference on Friday. 

“Jérémy Doku is progressing and should return to the group after the Montpellier match (February 27) as normal. “ explained the coach, announcing de facto a return of the player 3 weeks after this speech. 

A new disappointment when we know that the technician had already announced this same unavailability of 3 weeks… two weeks earlier. 

Returning at the start of 2022, the Belgian was absent during a friendly against Lorient on January 29. 

We haven't seen him since, and his absence of “3 weeks” therefore turns into an absence of 5 weeks. Reason? Another hamstring problem.

When we redid the season of the Red Devil, there is reason to be frustrated. 

These famous hamstrings made him suffer from August 22, and forced him to go out in full derby against Nantes. 

Balance sheet, an absence until the beginning of October when everyone was waiting for his return… before a knee injury added to his misfortune. 

In all, it was an absence of 3 months that the striker had to cash in, which, a small consolation prize, allowed him to work on his left foot, the one with which he found the net against Lorient (28 November) then Nancy (January 2). 

His only two goals of the season, which added to his only two goals from last season, complete a disappointing balance sheet since his arrival in October 2020, for 26 million euros. 

Expected in early March, Doku will have to be careful when pushing back the lawn, to avoid yet another hitch. He will remain in Rennes at this time less than 3 months of competition.

BACK IN EARLY MARCH? We often dwell on the price of a transfer when judging a player. If it is obviously necessary to qualify the statement when it concerns a young promising 18 year old then, it is a question of not concealing this element either. 

Jérémy Doku (19 years old today) is still Stade Rennes' biggest transfer, and this season of confirmation has turned sour. 

In question, Doku has only made 12 appearances this season, for 6 starts. Accounting, his presence was beneficial (2 goals, one assist), almost as much as for his first season (2 goals, 3 assists). In terms of playing time, the holder of the 2020-2021 financial year (31 starts in 37 games, 2808 minutes) is logically behind (12 appearances, 564 minutes).

Jérémy Doku's strength lies in what he is able to bring to the field. 

If statistically the record is not good (4 goals and 5 assists in 3372 minutes with Stade Rennes), the presence on the field of the Belgian is often beneficial for Rennes. 

Problem, while we expect him back in March, unless there is another hitch, Doku will have missed almost the entire season for recurrent injuries.

Hit in the hamstrings a month before signing for the SRFC, this is the third time in a year and a half that the striker has been hit in this area.

Add to that his knee glitch, and the invisible work so praised at the club takes the lead in the wing. Off the field, Doku also lost his acolytes Eduardo Camavinga and Brandon Soppy, who left for the summer transfer window.

The observation is factual, Jérémy Doku is still and always awaited this season by the supporters of Stade Rennes. 

The reality of a season quickly catches up with optimists keeping hope that his return will tip the scales of an SRFC in search of results, and European qualification in 2022: with 564 minutes on the clock this season, Doku has for the moment hardly weighed on the Stade Rennes season, and betting everything on a player so affected by physical glitches this season cannot be rational.