By Martin Graham
Liverpool have completed a carry agreement Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet to Anfield in a package that could reach £60m, although the move will only be completed in the summer.
At the start of the winter window, Jacquet was largely unknown to a wider public, which made the scale of the investment all the more surprising.
The Merseyside club are willing to pay £55m initially, with an additional £5m linked to add-ons, for a 20-year-old they believe can anchor their defense for many seasons.
Despite conceding 33 goals in 24 Premier League games and dealing with persistent fitness issues at the back, Arne Slot’s side agreed the player would remain in France until the end of the campaign.
Rennes made it clear they would not consider a January exit, standing firm even with Liverpool’s willingness to pay a fee beyond the £55.4m they received from Manchester City for Jeremy Doku in 2023.
Why Liverpool are willing to wait
Liverpool have secured Jacquet on a contract until 2031, with an option to extend for a further year, underlining how highly they rate his long-term prospects.
His recruitment team see the Frenchman as a defender who already has significant exposure for his age, with internal analysis backing up the decision to invest heavily.
French football analyst Julien Laurens described Jacquet as potentially the outstanding centre-back of his generation, highlighting his physical profile, pace and dominance in duels.
While Laurens noted that his technical ability still needs refinement, he believes Jacquet has the intelligence to become a player comparable to Virgil van Dijk.
This season, Jacquet has featured primarily in a three-man defense for Rennes, having spent a short loan spell at Clermont in Ligue 2 before returning to make 36 Ligue 1 appearances.
Strengths, flaws and growing expectations
Aerially, Jacquet has been one of Ligue 1’s most effective defenders in the 2025-26 season, winning 75.51% of his aerial contests, the best return among players in his position.
This aggression has also brought risk, with three errors leading directly to shots, which places him among the highest totals in the league in this category.
Speaking to L’Equipe via Ligue 1, Jacquet characterized himself as composed in possession, focused on passing through lines rather than making rash decisions.
His pedigree at international youth level is remarkable, having captained France’s youth sides and earned a place in the European Under-19 Championship squad of the tournament in 2024.
Born in Bondy, the same Paris suburb as Kylian Mbappe and William Saliba, Jacquet arrives with a reputation that naturally brings scrutiny.
Part of a broader defensive rebuild
Liverpool’s interest intensified after Jacquet favored a move to Anfield over talks with Chelsea, where competition from other highly-rated young defenders reduced the appeal.
Contract uncertainty also determines the timing, with Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate coming to the end of their deals this summer, while Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are tied down until 2027.
Staying at Rennes allows Jacquet to remain a regular starter as he chases European qualification, rather than fighting for minutes immediately on Merseyside.
Recent examples show the difficulty of adapting from Ligue 1, with Leny Yoro at Manchester United and Abdukodir Khusanov at Manchester City both finding the transition demanding.
Liverpool’s strategy extends beyond Jacquet, having added five centre-backs aged 20 or under in six months as they prepare for inevitable change in this area of the squad.
