Liverpool complete £60m Jacquet deal, player to join summer
Liverpool have finalised an agreement to sign French defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes in a deal worth up to £60 million, with the move set to be completed in the summer transfer window.
The Premier League side will pay an initial £55m, with a further £5m in add-ons, for the 20-year-old centre-back, who has signed a five-year contract until 2031, with an option for an additional year.
Jacquet will remain at Rennes for the rest of the season, with the Ligue 1 club unwilling to sanction a January departure.
The deal represents a significant long-term investment by Liverpool, who see Jacquet as a future cornerstone of their defence amid ongoing injury concerns and expiring contracts at Anfield.
Long-term planning at Anfield
Liverpool have conceded 33 goals in 24 Premier League matches this season and are dealing with a defensive injury crisis.
Despite that, the club agreed to wait until the summer, a decision shaped largely by Rennes’ stance.
The French club are under no financial pressure and insisted any deal must exceed their previous record sale of £55.4m, paid by Manchester City for Jeremy Doku in 2023. Liverpool accepted those terms, confident in their assessment of Jacquet’s potential.
The defender has made 36 Ligue 1 appearances and has primarily featured in a back three this season.
His aerial strength has stood out, winning 75.51% of his aerial duels, the highest among Ligue 1 defenders in the 2025-26 campaign.
Profile, praise and perspective
French football expert Julien Laurens believes Liverpool are backing a special talent.
“It’s a lot of money but Jacquet has everything to become one of the best centre-backs in the world in the next few years,” Laurens said. “He is arguably the best centre-back of his generation.
“He’s quite tall, quick and strong – and he’s a machine when it comes to duels in the air and on the ground… Technically, there is a lot to improve on, but he’s a smart kid and he can get there and become like a Virgil van Dijk.”
Jacquet, who was named in the UEFA Under-19 Euros Team of the Tournament in 2024, described his style to L’Equipe:
“I’m calm on the ball… What defines me is playing out well, breaking lines with the right pass.”
Liverpool believe regular football at Rennes, who are pushing for Europe, will better prepare Jacquet for the demands of the Premier League ahead of his summer arrival.
