Liverpool have big hopes for Jeremy Jacquet having invested £60m to bring the highly regarded young central defender to Anfield this summer.
Originally signed as an understudy to the established centre-back partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, Jacquet now looks set to replace Konate after his departure on a free transfer at the end of last season.
Joe Gomez was in contention to line up alongside Van Dijk in Liverpool’s Premier League opener at Newcastle, live on Sky Sports, only for the long-serving defender’s injury curse to strike again in pre-season.
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And with 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni still recovering from the ACL injury he sustained on his Reds bow in September, Jacquet looks set to be required on the opening weekend – although he is yet to appear in pre-season as Liverpool take a cautious approach to a shoulder issue which has kept him out since February.
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He could return for one of the club’s final two pre-season friendlies at Anfield, against Monaco on Sunday or Como a week later.
Reds boss Andoni Iraola is eager to see him alongside Van Dijk before the season gets under way with the trip to St James’ Park on August 23.
While attempting to break into the Rennes first team, Jacquet was sent on two loan spells at Clermont, the second of which came in Ligue 2.
Rennes paid nearly €1m (£856,000) to cut short that second loan spell in February 2025, with Jacquet returning to establish himself as a key figure in their first team.
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Jacquet is a ball-playing defender who began his career as a midfielder, modelling his game on Paul Pogba.
That midfield background has helped make him comfortable in possession, with a calmness on the ball reminiscent of Van Dijk, as well as the Dutchman’s elegance and athleticism.
The numbers back that assessment up, with Jacquet completing 90.4 per cent of his passes in Ligue 1 last season.
Across 19 top-flight appearances last term, Jacquet recorded the third-highest aerial duel success rate in Ligue 1 at 75.5 per cent.
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Opta data further highlights Jacquet’s defensive contribution, with the youngster averaging 4.9 clearances and winning possession 4.14 times per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 last season.
They believe he is a rising star who is good on the ball, with a good passing range, athletic and great in the air.
If Jacquet can prove to be anywhere near as good as his compatriot at the Emirates, Liverpool will have found themselves a worthy successor to legendary captain Van Dijk.
Liverpool’s decision to invest in Jacquet suggests they believe he has the potential to become a top-class defender.