Desire Doue labelled as ‘Neymar reincarnated’ by Tottenham Hotspur player before incredible rise at Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain winger Desire Doue was labelled “Neymar reincarnated” by Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence, according to Rio Ferdinand. 

The 19-year-old has impressed since arriving at the French champions in the summer, scoring 13 goals in all competitions this season. 

Former Manchester United defender and TNT Sports pundit Ferdinand believes Doue has huge potential, but was first made aware of the prodigious talent by Spence, who gave high praise to the teenager. 

Speaking on TNT Sports’ Champions League Final Preview Show, Ferdinand said: “I sat with Djed Spence, and I said: ‘Give me a young player’s name, up and coming, we might not have spoken about.’ This was a few months ago.

“I didn’t realise he [Spence] went on loan to Rennes a couple of years ago, and he said: ‘I was with Doue there…Rio, this is like Neymar reincarnated.’”

Ferdinand added: “At the time, he wasn’t [in the] knockout stages yet, I was like: ‘Alright, steady a little bit.’ But then I started seeing him and watching him a little bit, I was like: ‘He ain’t too far off.’

“He’s got huge potential, and I don’t know where his ceiling is.”

Ahead of the final with Internazionale, the winger told TNT Sports: “I’ve always been inspired by Neymar, [Lionel] Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, different types of players and different personalities.

“As a kid, Neymar was always my favourite, and I would always try to recreate his moves. I just try to play my football and be myself on the pitch, doing what comes to mind at each moment and in each phase of play.”

Doue is one of a number of forwards to thrive under Luis Enrique this season, with Ousmane Dembele enjoying arguably the best season of his career.

The Frenchman has scored 33 goals this campaign, with eight of those coming in the Champions League, and has netted 25 times this calendar year alone. 

The 28-year-old was dropped for PSG’s visit to Arsenal in October after his manager was dissatisfied with his work-rate in a Ligue 1 game, but bounced back from the setback to become an integral figure in his side’s treble-chasing season. 

The Preview Show panel have been impressed by Enrique’s lack of preferential treatment for the bigger names, and how he has got the most out of the likes of Dembele this season. 

Ferdinand said: “Luis Enrique, I saw a clip of him talking to Kylian Mbappe one time and saying about influencing your team-mates and working hard.

“He didn’t get the response he wanted… see you later. And look at the transformation in the team now.”

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves added: “And look at what he’s turned Dembele into now. As a false nine, we always criticised his finishing. Mbappe’s goals have gone, but Dembele’s scoring them, and he couldn’t really score before. 

“He’s always had Ballon d’Or talent, at Dortmund coming through and then going to Barca [Barcelona]. You need to be in the right place, I think, with the right manager, surrounded by the right people.”