Liverpool Signs ‘Next Van Dijk’ in Jacquet for £60 Million

Jeremy Jacquet has secured a £60 million transfer to Liverpool, although the young defender will officially join the club this summer.

At the onset of the winter transfer window, Jacquet was not a widely recognized name, making this hefty investment in a 20-year-old quite bold. Liverpool sees the French centre-back as a pivotal addition for their defensive lineup in the years ahead.

With the team facing significant defensive challenges this season, conceding 33 goals across 24 Premier League matches, the decision to wait for Jacquet’s arrival until summer is revealing. Jacquet will transition from Ligue 1’s Rennes, despite the pressing need for reinforcements.

Rennes has made it clear they will not permit an immediate transfer, as they are not in a hurry for the funds. Any fee for Jacquet would need to surpass their previous record sale of £55.4 million, which saw Jeremy Doku move to Manchester City in 2023.

Liverpool, however, is content to wait, having inked a five-year contract with the defender that includes an option for an additional year. The club regards Jacquet as a promising talent with considerable experience for his age, supported by data analysis that justifies their substantial expenditure on a player with significant potential.

“It’s a considerable sum, yet Jacquet possesses everything necessary to evolve into one of the world’s top centre-backs in the coming years,” states football analyst Julien Laurens. “He’s arguably the finest defender of his generation.”

Laurens further elaborates, noting, “He is tall, fast, and powerful, excelling in aerial and ground duels. His game intelligence is impressive, and he is competent with the ball at his feet, although he still has room to grow in technical aspects. He’s a clever player and has the potential to reach the level of Virgil van Dijk.”

This season, Jacquet has primarily operated within a back three at Rennes. At 18, seeking more playing time, he was loaned to Clermont in Ligue 2, but after just half a season, he was recalled in January 2025, ultimately making 36 appearances in Ligue 1.

His aerial prowess has stood out this season, boasting a remarkable 75.51% success rate in aerial duels, the highest among Ligue 1 defenders in the 2025–26 season. Despite this, his position is inherently challenging, leading to some errors; he has made three mistakes that resulted in shots against his team, ranking among the top eight in the French league for such errors.

When reflecting on his playing style, Jacquet shared, “I maintain composure on the ball, and I may come across as a bit laid-back, but I am focused. My defining trait is my ability to distribute the ball effectively, breaking lines with precise passes.”

Recognized in the Under-19 Euros tournament in 2024, Jacquet has also captained various youth teams for France, showcasing his leadership skills. His roots trace back to Bondy, the Paris suburb known for producing talents such as Kylian Mbappe and William Saliba.

Given the substantial investment, expectations will be high when Jacquet finally joins Liverpool. With Giovanni Leoni also set to return from an ACL injury in the summer, the Liverpool defense could undergo significant changes ahead of the next season.

Liverpool has been monitoring Jacquet’s progress, having engaged in discussions with Chelsea as well. However, their interest intensified over the weekend, with the player expressing a strong desire to move to Anfield.

Reports suggest that Jacquet was attracted to Liverpool’s project, in contrast to Chelsea, where the presence of elite young defenders like Josh Acheampong and Mamadou Sarr made the prospect less appealing.

Currently, both Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate are set to become free agents this summer, while captain Van Dijk, aged 34, and Joe Gomez have contracts expiring in 2027. A transfer at this moment would not have been prudent, considering Jacquet might struggle to secure a starting position ahead of established players like Van Dijk and Konate.

At Rennes, where the club is aiming for European qualification, he will continue as a regular starter, gaining valuable experience in Ligue 1. For Jacquet, the goal between now and summer is to acclimate himself to the Premier League’s demands.

He remains a work in progress, and Rennes’ recent 4-0 loss to Monaco highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in decision-making when stepping out of the defensive line.

It’s worth noting that recent high-profile transfers from Ligue 1 to the Premier League have proven challenging, with Manchester United’s Leny Yoro (£52 million) and Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov (£34 million) both experiencing difficulties in their early days.

Laurens adds, “Transitioning from Ligue 1 to a club like Liverpool won’t be straightforward. Leny Yoro faced challenges, as did William Saliba initially, but Jacquet possesses immense talent.”

Why is Liverpool Focusing on Young Centre-Backs?

In the past six months, Liverpool has acquired five centre-backs aged 20 or younger. Giovanni Leoni, aged 19, joined from Parma for £26 million in the summer, while the club also finalized deals for Noah Adekoya, another 19-year-old, Senegalese Mor Talla Ndiaye at 18, and Austrian youth international Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is 17, during January.

Adekoya made his way from Burnley, while both Ndiaye and Ndukwe caught Liverpool’s scouts’ attention at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar last November. Ndiaye completed a £1 million transfer from Amitie, the Senegalese club owned by former Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba Ba, and has represented Senegal at youth levels.

Ndukwe reached the final with Austria and will join Liverpool in the summer, with a fee potentially escalating to £2.5 million. The influx of young talent indicates that the Anfield club is working to secure their central defensive future.

At the first-team level, changes are inevitable, especially after their unsuccessful attempt to sign established talent Marc Guehi last summer. Investing heavily in an unproven player like Jacquet may seem risky, but Liverpool is confident they have thoroughly evaluated his potential as they prepare a squad for the future.

The average age of their new signings over the last two transfer windows is under 22, and the club believes this new cohort of players can deliver high-quality performance both in the short and long term.

Statistics provided by a sports journalist.