Jeremy Jacquet proves Liverpool made right decision with Rennes announcement

Liverpool agreed to sign Jeremy Jacquet from French side Rennes subject to a work permit and international clearance, and the Reds will welcome a player who is popular with his current supporters

Jeremy Jacquet will join Liverpool at the end of the season(Image: 2026 Allstar)

Liverpool took steps to address concerns around its defense as it confirmed an agreement to sign Rennes prospect Jeremy Jacquet on Monday.

Some Reds fans will surely be questioning why the player isn't joining immediately, considering Arne Slot currently only has two senior central defenders fit and available to him - not to mention Conor Bradley potentially being out until 2027. But the long-term thinking around the deal cannot be questioned, as it is a signing that goes same way to setting Liverpool's defense up for the future.

The deal for Jacquet follows the summer acquisition of Giovanni Leoni – who Liverpool has been unfortunate to be without for several months after the Italian teenager suffered a season-ending injury in September.

Both Jacquet and Leoni are among the highest-rated young defenders in Europe, and their signings come at a time when there is uncertainty surrouding the older center-backs in Liverpool's squad.

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season and could leave for free in the summer, while Virgil van Dijk's and Joe Gomez's deals are due to expire in 2027.

Liverpool missed out on signing Marc Guehi, who joined Manchester City during the January window, so it was imperative that the Reds took steps to address the uncertainty around the future of Slot's defense.

Jacquet is coming off the back of a good month on the field with Rennes, and his great month was underlined by the Rennes supporters voting him the club's player of the month for January.

Jacquet's deal, which is subject to a work permit and international clearance, completed his medical on Merseyside on Monday.

A fee of £55 million ($75 million), plus an additional £5 million ($7 million), has been agreed with Rennes for the center-back’s transfer, with the deal deferred until the start of the 2026/27 campaign.

Jacquet has agreed a contract that will run until 2031, and his arrival is in keeping with Liverpool’s transfer policy of targeting young defenders, who can be mainstays in the team for years to come.

That was seen with the summer acquisition of fellow center-back Leoni, while Van Dijk, Konate and Gomez are nearing a combined 24 years of service.