Jeremy Jacquet spoke about the position and its history after signing the Rennes defender for a £60 million transfer and choosing Liverpool ahead of Chelsea on deadline day.
Jeremy Jaquet joins Liverpool in the summer (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)
Jeremy Jaquet believes signing for Liverpool means he will join “one of the best football organizations in the world” after choosing the Reds over Chelsea.
The Merseyside outfit sealed a £60m deal for the French defender on deadline day. Last week he was on the radar of Chelsea, but when Liverpool came to the party, Jaquet chose Chelsea over the Blues.
Liverpool will pay £55m upfront, with the possibility of a further £5m in performance-related fees. This will be a boost for Arne Slott, whose defensive options have suffered as doubts persist over the likes of Ibrahima Konate, whose contract expires this summer.
An agreement allowing Jaquet to remain at the Ligue 1 side is also thought to have been key. Rennes remain in contention for Champions League qualification and the rapidly developing 20-year-old will be allowed to contribute until the end of the season.
“I approach the second half of the season with the intention of experiencing beautiful moments with my teammates and fans,” said Jacquet.
read more: Jamie Carragher wants to shove Liverpool ace Gary Neville ‘down his throat’read more: Aston Villa rejects contract, Liverpool’s cruel decision to recall Harvey Elliott
Liverpool’s lack of options in the defensive line and Chelsea’s abundance of players are thought to have influenced Jaquet’s decision. He was unsure of his ability to feature regularly at Stamford Bridge, especially following his recent decision, and opted for Anfield.
Mamadou Sarr returns to Chelsea from his loan spell with Strasbourg, while youngster Josh Acheampong remains at the club. The Blues also have Trevor Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoît Badiashile, Aaron Anselmino and Jorel Hato in the squad. Levi Colwill is also expected to return from injury, meaning a number of players will miss out on selection.
The young French defender was on the radar of Chelsea but ultimately missed out (Image: Ramsey Cardy – Sportsfile, UEFA via Getty Images)
Rennes manager Habib Bayet admitted that even though Jacquet impressed for France at the Under-19 Euros, he could not turn down the French side’s offer, which offered a huge sum for the player in an almost unheard of summer.
He said: “This is the best deal we could have hoped for. We negotiated the transfer, we got the club what they wanted, we respected the player’s wishes and we have the rest of the season left. This is the reality of the market. The club he joins will offer him Champions League football and the best league in the world right now. We just don’t have the means to fight.”
“We have to see this as a privilege. Rennes can make a profit of 100 million euros from two players who six months ago were probably worth 3 million euros (Jacquet and Kader Maite, who joined Al Hilal).”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
