Liverpool have placed considerable optimism in Jeremy Jacquet after splashing a £60 million fee to secure the promising young centre‑back this summer. Although a shoulder injury has delayed his involvement in pre‑season, the French defender appears worth the patience.
Initially brought in as a backup to the established partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, with the long‑term aim of eventually partnering them alongside teenage recruit Giovanni Leoni, Jacquet’s role has shifted. Following Konaté’s free‑transfer departure at the close of last season, the club now envisions Jacquet stepping directly into the vacant spot. Joe Gomez was being considered to partner Van Dijk in Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixture against Newcastle, but the veteran’s recurring injury woes resurfaced during pre‑season, removing him from contention. Meanwhile, 19‑year‑old Leoni – signed from Parma as part of Fenway Sports Group’s strategy to lower the average age of the first‑team squad – is still recovering from an ACL tear suffered on his debut for the Reds in September.
Consequently, Jacquet is likely to be called upon for the season‑opening match, even though he has not yet featured in any pre‑season games due to a cautious approach to his shoulder problem, which has lingered since February. From last summer through to January 2026, Liverpool have completed contracts for five centre‑backs who were 20 or under at the time of signing: Leoni, Ndiaye, Ndukwe, Noah Adekoya and Jacquet. The 21‑year‑old’s shoulder injury cut short his final season with Rennes just days after finalising his move to Anfield, and his anticipated debut against Leeds last Sunday was postponed as he continued to feel discomfort. There is a chance he could feature in one of the two remaining pre‑season friendlies at Anfield – either against Monaco on Sunday or against Como a week later.
Manager Andoni Iraola is eager to see Jacquet alongside Van Dijk before the campaign kicks off with the trip to St James’ Park on 23 August. When Jacquet committed to Liverpool in February, he turned down interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich. At that time, Dutch manager Arne Slot was still at the helm, but Slot has since left, meaning Jacquet will now begin his Merseyside chapter under a new head coach as Liverpool aim to recover from a fragmented title defence last season. Defensive frailties were a major concern for the reigning champions.
Only Iraola’s Bournemouth conceded more than Liverpool among the top‑ten finishers, with the Reds allowing 53 goals – the highest total in a 38‑game Premier League season. Of those, 20 came from set‑pieces, a worrying statistic that re‑emerged in the collapse against Leeds, where a makeshift back line yielded four goals in just 25 minutes of the second half, two of them from long throws.
For a player who has logged fewer than 100 senior appearances across all competitions, including just 37 league games, that is a heavy burden. Yet Arsenal were also monitoring Jacquet last summer before Liverpool moved decisively, investing £60 million in January and making him the fourth‑most expensive defender aged 21 or under in football history. Born in the Bondy district of Paris, Jacquet progressed through Rennes’ famed academy, which in recent years has produced talents such as Desire Doué, Mathys Tel and Lesley Ugochukwu.
He now stands as Rennes’ record sale, eclipsing even Ousmane Dembélé and Doué. While trying to break into Rennes’ first team, Jacquet spent two loan spells at Clermont, the second of which was in Ligue 2. Explaining his choice to L’Equipe, he said, “It was either stay at Rennes with limited minutes or go and discover something new.
I chose playing time – and it paid off.” Rennes paid nearly €1 million (£856,000) to terminate the second loan early in February 2025, bringing Jacquet back to become a key figure for the Ligue 1 side. The club insisted on retaining him for the remainder of the season during negotiations with Liverpool in the winter window, underscoring his importance. European football analyst Kevin Hatchard told Sky Sports News, “He had a loan at Clermont that went well. Rennes valued him so highly they didn’t want to let him go in January.
His coach Habib Beye even said, ‘If we let him leave now, we’ll have to lower our season objectives.’" Liverpool’s original blueprint was for Jacquet to learn from his idol Van Dijk – “If I want to reach the highest level, I must absorb him and others” – and gradually earn a place in the starting XI. This plan reflected his limited experience; he had only been playing top‑flight football since January 2024, had not featured in European competition, and arrived at Anfield with roughly 8,000 senior minutes under his belt.
However, circumstances have accelerated his integration, and Iraola appears untroubled by Jacquet’s relative inexperience. The young Frenchman has captained France at every youth level from U‑17 to U‑20 and wore the armband at the 2024 U‑19 European Championship, where he earned a spot in the team of the tournament. Physically, Jacquet possesses the size and athleticism required for the increasingly physical Premier League. He began his career as a midfielder, modelling his style on Paul Pogba.
“I wanted to play like him,” he recalls, before Rennes scouts convinced him to switch to defence. “They were right; they knew better.” That midfield foundation gives him composure on the ball, reminiscent of Van Dijk’s calmness, combined with the Dutchman’s elegance and athletic prowess. Jacquet describes himself as “calm on the ball, perhaps a little non‑chalant, but focused.
What defines me is playing out well and breaking lines with the right pass.” Statistically, his numbers support the description. In Ligue 1 last season he completed 90.4 % of his passes (973 of 1,076) and, standing 6 ft 3 in, he won 75.5 % of aerial duels – the third‑best rate in the league.
He also ranked among the top 20 for ground duels, posting a 62 % success rate, the second‑best at Rennes. Opta data shows he averaged 4.9 clearances and won possession 4.14 times per 90 minutes.
Hatchard summed him up as “a rising star who is good on the ball, has a solid passing range, is athletic and dominant in the air.” French football pundit Julien Laurens, who has followed Jacquet’s early career, believes Liverpool have made a sound investment. “He’s the real deal,” Laurens told Sky Sports News.
“He’s only 21, hasn’t played for the senior France side or in the Champions League, but he’s impressed since returning from his loan. You can’t go wrong.
He reminds me of William Saliba’s emergence at Saint‑Étienne or Wesley Fofana. It’s about valuing potential and talent – you’re paying a lot for a player who hasn’t fully proved himself yet, but the upside is massive.” If the young French defender can replicate the impact of his compatriot at the Emirates, Liverpool will have secured a worthy successor to the legendary Van Dijk and added a cornerstone for the club’s defensive future.