Liverpool have placed considerable optimism in the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, a promising French centre‑back secured for a reported £60 million this summer. Although a shoulder injury has delayed his involvement in pre‑season fixtures, the club’s faith in the 21‑year‑old suggests he is worth the patience required for his full recovery. Initially, Jacquet was recruited as a backup to the established partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, with the long‑term plan of eventually pairing him with the teenage defender Giovanni Leoni. However, the departure of Konaté on a free transfer at the close of last season has accelerated Jacquet's expected role, positioning him as a direct replacement for the Paris‑born defender.
Joe Gomez was a strong contender to partner Van Dijk in Liverpool’s opening Premier League match against Newcastle, a game broadcast live on Sky Sports. Yet the veteran’s recurring injury problems resurfaced during pre‑season, leaving a gap in the back line. 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—suffered a devastating ACL injury on his debut for the Reds in September. This series of setbacks means Jacquet is likely to be called upon for the season‑opening weekend, even though he has not yet featured in any pre‑season games due to a cautious approach to his shoulder issue, which has lingered since February.
Over the past six months, Liverpool have been remarkably active in the centre‑back market, securing contracts for five defenders who were 20 or under at the time of signing: Leoni, Amadou Ndiaye, Jérémy Ndukwe, Noah Adekoya and Jacquet himself. The young Frenchman’s shoulder problem forced him out of the Rennes side just days after finalising his Liverpool move, and his anticipated debut against Leeds was postponed as he continued to experience discomfort.
There is still a chance that Jacquet could feature in one of Liverpool’s final pre‑season friendlies at Anfield—either the match against Monaco on Sunday or the game versus Como a week later. Manager Andoni Iraola is eager to assess him alongside Van Dijk before the league campaign begins with the trip to St James’ Park on 23 August. When Jacquet committed to Liverpool in February, he turned down offers from Chelsea and Bayern Munich. At that time, Dutch coach Arne Slot was still at Anfield, but after Slot’s departure the defender will now begin his Merseyside chapter under Iraola, as Liverpool aim to rebound from a fragmented title defence last season.
Defensive frailties were a major talking point for the reigning champions. Only Bournemouth, also managed by Iraola, conceded more goals among the top‑ten clubs, with Liverpool allowing 53 goals—the highest total in a 38‑game Premier League season.
Of those, 20 were conceded from set‑pieces, a record that highlighted a glaring weakness, especially evident in the collapse against Leeds when a makeshift defence yielded four goals in just 25 minutes of the second half, two of them from long throws. For a player with fewer than 100 senior appearances across all competitions—and just 37 league outings—such expectations are substantial.
Nevertheless, Jacquet attracted interest from Arsenal last summer, underscoring his reputation as a high‑potential talent. Liverpool’s £60 million outlay made him the fourth‑most expensive defender aged 21 or younger in football history. Born in the Bondy suburb of Paris, Jacquet progressed through Rennes’ acclaimed academy, which has recently produced talents like Desire Doué, Mathys Tel and Lesley Ugochukwu.
His transfer now stands as Rennes’ record sale, surpassing even Ousmane Dembélé and Doué. Early in his career, Jacquet struggled for first‑team minutes at Rennes and was loaned to Clermont, including a stint in Ligue 2.
Speaking to L’Équipe, he explained his choice: “It was either stay at Rennes with limited playing time or go and discover something new. I chose minutes on the pitch—and it paid off.” Rennes paid almost €1 million to end his second loan early in February 2025, bringing him back to become a key figure in their senior side. The club was so keen to retain him that they insisted he stay for the remainder of the season during negotiations with Liverpool in the winter window.
European football analyst Kevin Hatchard told Sky Sports News, “He had a loan at Clermont that went well. Rennes valued him highly and didn’t want to lose him in January.
His coach, Habib Beye, even said, ‘If we let him go this season, we’ll have to downgrade our goals.’" Liverpool’s original development plan was for Jacquet to learn directly from his idol, Van Dijk, gradually easing into the starting XI. At the time, he had only been playing at the highest level since January 2024, had no European competition experience, and possessed roughly 8,000 senior minutes. Those cautious steps have now been accelerated, and Iraola appears ready to give the French defender an earlier debut than originally intended. Jacquet’s leadership qualities are evident; he 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 place in the tournament’s best XI.
Physically, he combines size—standing 6 ft 3 in—with athleticism that suits the increasingly physical nature of the Premier League. Originally a midfielder, Jacquet modeled his early game on Paul Pogba.
He later recounted how Rennes scouts convinced him to switch to defence, saying, “I wanted to play like him, but they saw a different future for me. They were right; they knew better.” That midfield background has given him composure on the ball, a calmness reminiscent of Van Dijk, and an ability to break lines with precise passes. He describes his style as “calm on the ball, maybe a bit non‑chalant, but always focused. What defines me is playing out well and breaking lines with the right pass.” Statistically, his Ligue 1 season backs up these claims.
He completed 90.4 % of his passes (973 of 1,076) and demonstrated aerial dominance, winning 75.5 % of aerial duels—the third‑best rate in the league. He also ranked among the top 20 for ground duels, with a 62 % success rate, and averaged 4.9 clearances and 4.14 possessions won per 90 minutes.
Hatchard summed him up as “a rising star who is good on the ball, with a good passing range, athletic and great in the air.” French football pundit Julien Laurens has followed Jacquet’s development closely and 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; you’d pay a lot for a player with this upside.” If Jacquet can replicate the promise he has shown in France, Liverpool will have secured a worthy successor to Van Dijk, bolstering a defence that struggled with set‑pieces and injuries last season and giving the club a long‑term solution at the heart of the back line.