Liverpool have placed a substantial £60 million bet on the future of Jeremy Jacquet, a highly regarded young centre‑back, by securing his services this summer. Although a shoulder problem has delayed his preseason involvement, the French defender appears worth the patience. Initially brought in as a backup to the established partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, Jacquet was expected to learn the ropes and eventually take over alongside the club's teenage prospect Giovanni Leoni. With Konaté leaving on a free transfer at the close of last season, the pathway for Jacquet has opened considerably, positioning him as a potential direct replacement for the departing Frenchman.
Joe Gomez was once in contention to partner Van Dijk in Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixture against Newcastle, a match broadcast live on Sky Sports. Unfortunately, the veteran’s recurring injury woes resurfaced during preseason, removing him from the immediate picture. 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 rehabilitating from an ACL tear suffered on his debut for the Reds in September. This situation further amplifies the need for Jacquet to be ready for the season opener, even though he has yet to feature in a preseason game due to a lingering shoulder complaint that has kept him sidelined since February.
In the six‑month window from last summer to January 2026, Liverpool completed contracts for five centre‑backs who were 20 or younger at the time of signing – Leoni, Amadou Ndiaye, Ndukwe, Noah Adekoya and Jacquet himself. The 21‑year‑old’s shoulder injury cut short his final season with Rennes just days after finalising the move to Anfield, and his anticipated debut against Leeds United last Sunday was postponed as he continued to feel discomfort.
There remains a chance he could feature in one of Liverpool’s last two preseason friendlies – either against Monaco at Anfield on Sunday or against Como a week later. Manager Andoni Iraola is eager to see Jacquet paired with Van Dijk before the campaign truly 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 manager Arne Slot was still at the helm, but his departure means the defender will now start his Merseyside chapter under a new head coach, as Liverpool aim to recover from a fragmented title defence last season.
Defensive frailties were a glaring issue for the reigning champions. Only Iraola’s Bournemouth conceded more goals among the top‑ten finishers, with Liverpool allowing 53 goals – the highest total in a 38‑match Premier League season. Of those, 20 were conceded from set‑pieces, a record that re‑emerged in the disastrous collapse against Leeds, where a makeshift backline yielded four goals in just 25 minutes of second‑half play, two of them from long throws.
For a player who has logged fewer than 100 senior appearances across all competitions – just 37 in the league – the expectations are considerable. Yet Arsenal were also monitoring Jacquet closely 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.
Jacquet hails from Bondy, a suburb of Paris, and progressed through Rennes’ famed academy, which has recently produced talents such as Desire Doué, Mathys Tel and Lesley Ugochukwu. He now stands as Rennes’ record sale, surpassing even the likes of Ousmane Dembélé and Doué. Early in his career, Jacquet struggled to break into Rennes’ first team and was loaned out twice to Clermont, the second spell taking place in Ligue 2. Speaking to L’Équipe, he explained his mindset: “It was either stay at Rennes with limited minutes or go somewhere and play regularly.
I chose the minutes, and it paid off.” Rennes paid nearly €1 million (£856,000) to terminate his second loan early in February 2025, recalling him to become a key figure in their senior squad. The club valued him so highly that they insisted on retaining him for the remainder of the season during negotiations with Liverpool in the winter window.
European football analyst Kevin Hatchard told Sky Sports News, “Rennes didn’t want to let him go in January; they knew his importance. Their coach, Habib Beye, said if they sold him, they would have to lower their season objectives.” Liverpool originally envisioned Jacquet learning directly from his idol, Van Dijk, with a gradual introduction to the starting XI. This plan reflected his limited top‑level experience – he had only been a regular in Ligue 1 since January 2024, never featured in European competition, and accumulated roughly 8,000 senior minutes. However, circumstances have accelerated his integration, and Iraola appears confident that Jacquet’s lack of experience will not hinder his immediate impact.
Jacquet possesses leadership qualities that mirror Van Dijk’s style; 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, making him well‑suited to the Premier League’s increasingly physical demands. Originally a midfielder, Jacquet modeled his early game on Paul Pogba.
He recounts, “I wanted to play like him, but Rennes’ scouts saw a different future for me in defence. They were right; they knew better.” This midfield background contributes to his composure on the ball, drawing comparisons to Van Dijk’s calmness and elegance.
He describes his style: “I’m calm on the ball, maybe appear non‑chalant, but I stay focused. My aim is to play out cleanly and break lines with the right pass.” Statistically, his numbers support the description. In Ligue 1 last season, the right‑footed Frenchman completed 90.4 % of his passes (973 of 1,076).
Defensively, he excelled in aerial duels, winning 75.5 % – the third‑best rate in the league – and 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 4.14 successful possessions per 90 minutes, underscoring his active defensive contribution. French football commentator Julien Laurens, who has followed Jacquet’s budding career, believes Liverpool have made a sound investment. “He’s the real deal,” Laurens told Sky Sports News.
“He’s only 21, hasn’t yet 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. Paying a large sum for such a young player is a gamble, but the potential is massive.” If Jacquet can translate his Ligue 1 form to the Premier League and live up to the lofty comparisons, Liverpool will have secured a genuine successor to the legendary Van Dijk, strengthening their back line for years to come.