Kevin De Bruyne compares Malick Fofana to Man City winger Jeremy Doku but warns Lyon star he'll need to reach higher level amid Liverpool & Chelsea interest

Fofana has returned to Lyon training after impressive outings with Belgium. The young winger bagged his first international goal with a stoppage-time goal against Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying. His heroics sparked praise from Napoli midfielder De Bruyne, who said Fofana reminds him of Manchester City’s Doku, as both are quick wingers who like to take on defenders. However, De Bruyne also gave the 20-year-old a reality check, stressing that he still has work to do to reach Doku’s level, with the City star already proving himself at the very top.

Lyon made a bold call in the summer to keep hold of Fofana, even as they let Georges Mikautadze head to Villarreal. Everton had also approached the winger, but he turned it down to keep developing at OL. In his debut season, the 20-year-old bagged 11 goals and six assists across all competitions, and he has already started this campaign with a goal and an assist in his first three matches. His form had caught the attention of Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea, who also enquired about the Belgian. However, the youngster believes staying at Lyon is the right step for his growth. 

When questioned by the Belgian press, Kevin De Bruyne was full of praise for his young Belgian team-mate, while urging people not to overrate him too soon.

"Is Malick similar in style to Doku? Yes, they are both wingers, fairly small, fast," he said. "Of course, Jeremy has been with us for five or six years. He also plays for Manchester City, which, with all due respect, is a level above Lyon. Malick is younger and still developing."

Fofana will now look to carry his international form back to Lyon as they try to climb the Ligue 1 table, starting with a match against Rennes on September 15. De Bruyne, meanwhile, starred for Belgium with two goals and an assist in their 6-0 win over Kazakhstan, and the former City star has also hit the ground running at Napoli with two goals in his first two games.