Liverpool’s Jacquet signing described as “superb” by French insider | OneFootball

Liverpool’s long-term defensive rebuild has taken another clear step forward, with Jeremy Jacquet’s move being hailed on social media as the kind of signing that could pay off for years.

The 20-year-old French centre-back, has been ever-present when available in Ligue 1 this season, and the early reaction suggests Liverpool believe his ceiling is worth pushing hard for.

That optimism was summed up neatly by Julien Laurens on X, with the French journalist making it very clear where he stands on the deal.

“I can’t stress enough what a superb signing Jeremy Jacquet will be for Liverpool!

“He is a special talent and has everything to become one of the best defenders in the world. And he is Paris born and bred too which makes him even more special! #ValDeMarneEnForce”

The best signings are the ones that stack up both on reputation and on the unglamorous week-to-week numbers that show a defender is already trusted.

Jacquet stats show why Liverpool see a long-term fit

Jacquet’s raw output for Rennes this season backs up the idea of a high-trust defender, because an 18-game, 18-start record at age 20 usually tells you a coaching staff are comfortable putting responsibility on a young player.

Here is Jacquet’s Ligue 1 2025/26 profile, via Sofascore.

The headline numbers that jump out for a Liverpool-style defender are the 91% passing, the aerial win rate, and how rarely opponents dribble past him, because that combination hints at both composure and physical control.

It is also worth noting there is a bit of learning still visible in the profile, with discipline flags like four yellow cards and a red, plus the odd costly moment, and that is exactly where coaching and experience can turn a good young defender into a complete one.

Why Liverpool pushed ahead despite rival interest

Picture via @staderennais on X

Liverpool have not been chasing short-term fixes at the back in this window, even though injuries have left us stretched and forced players like Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai into makeshift roles at times.

The bigger picture is that Virgil van Dijk is 34, Andy Robertson is nearing the end of his contract, and Ibou Konate’s situation has been a talking point as his deal runs down, so a proper rebuild needs to start before it becomes urgent.

That context also helps explain why there has been so much competition for Jacquet, with multiple clubs looking at the same problem and trying to solve it early, as reported by Florian Plettenberg:

“Excl | Manchester United tried to hijack Jeremy Jacquet’s summer transfer to Liverpool in the last hours, but were unsuccessful. Jacquet already had an agreement in place with Liverpool”

Paul Joyce’s update on the race also framed Jacquet as a summer arrival rather than a deadline-day patch, which fits Liverpool’s preference for structured planning rather than panic.

“A deal for the 20-year-old would only begin from this June and the French club have been seeking around £55million, plus £5million in add-ons.”

Jeremy Jacquet already looks like a trusted Ligue 1 starter with strong passing and aerial output for his age, and Liverpool would not be committing this kind of money or beating off this kind of competition unless the recruitment staff believed the French youngster has the tools to become a genuine top-level centre-back at Anfield.

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