Chelsea ‘confident’ of signing £52.1m-rated star wanted by Liverpool as Blues agree to big compromise | OneFootball

Chelsea remain locked in negotiations to land highly‑rated French defender Jeremy Jacquet and are confident of sealing his signature, although any agreement is now expected to see the Rennes starlet arrive in the summer rather than January, TEAMtalk understands.

The Blues have been leading the race for the outstanding 20‑year‑old, who is widely regarded as one of the most gifted young centre‑backs in Europe.

Sources indicate Jacquet is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge, despite rival interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Rennes have made their position abundantly clear that they want a club‑record fee, with the French side holding out for more than €60million (£52.1m / $71.9m).

Chelsea’s offers to date have not exceeded €50million (£43.5m / $59.9m), but talks have continued with optimism on all sides that a compromise can be reached.

Chelsea’s decision to recall Aaron Anselmino from his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund has not altered their stance. We’re told the club remain intent on securing Jacquet and view him as a long‑term solution for their defensive rebuild.

Rennes haven’t made things straightforward for Chelsea, but Liam Rosenior’s side are prepared to make a compromise to ensure they get their man.

Chelsea are willing to wait for Ligue 1 starlet

Rennes, for their part, would prefer to keep Jacquet until the summer, and Chelsea are understood to be open to that scenario, allowing the youngster to finish the season in Ligue 1 before making the switch to west London.

Sources close to the negotiations insist Chelsea are confident of sealing a deal, with all parties now working toward a structure that satisfies Rennes’ valuation while paving the way for Jacquet to become the club’s next major defensive investment.

Sealing a deal would represent a significant coup for Chelsea, given the rival interest in the defender’s signature.

Jacquet, a five-time capped French under-21s international, has established himself as one of Rennes’ most important players.

This season, the youngster has made 17 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes, helping his side to keep five clean sheets in the process.

Chelsea have a long history of securing the world’s most exciting young talents and that trend is set to continue under new manager Rosenior, with Jacquet at the top of the shortlist.

Latest Chelsea news: Cole Palmer ‘doubts’ / Harry Maguire linked

Meanwhile, my colleague, Fraser Fletcher, has reported how Cole Palmer has ‘doubts’ about his long-term future at Chelsea, despite Rosenior insisting he remains happy at Stamford Bridge.

Palmer, 23, is said to be ‘homesick’ and eyeing a return to the north-west of England, and is open to a potential move to Manchester United. Chelsea, though, value him at £150million, so it would take a record-breaking fee to sign him.

In other news, Chelsea have been linked with a shock move for United centre-back Harry Maguire, who will be available on a free transfer in the summer if he doesn’t sign a contract extension.

However, all of our information points towards Jacquet being Chelsea’s top centre-back target at the end of the season, rather than Maguire.