Journalist: ‘Chelsea wanted to buy Jeremy Jacquet’ as real reason he picked Liverpool revealed | OneFootball

Jeremy Jacquet and the Choice That Got Away

Chelsea’s January business, as outlined by The Athletic, was restrained, almost studious. There were savings made, marginal profits banked, and loans tidied up. Yet amid the careful accountancy and future planning, one name lingered with quiet significance. Jeremy Jacquet. Not signed, not secured, but revealing all the same.

Chelsea wanted Jacquet from Stade Rennais FC. They worked on it for most of the window. They did not get him. He chose Liverpool FC, with the move to be completed in the summer. In modern recruitment, that decision often tells a deeper story than the deals that do get done.

Chelsea’s Calculated January

Financially, Chelsea were cautious but comfortable. “Not much in either category, although Chelsea have made a profit.” The removal of Raheem Sterling’s wages was viewed internally as a significant long-term saving, while loan fees and academy sales, including Leo Castledine and Ato Ampah, helped steady the balance sheet.

Movement elsewhere was largely about maintenance. Facundo Buonanotte’s loan ended early. Tyrique George and Axel Disasi were sent out for minutes. The recall of Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg was the lone senior addition, with the 20-year-old immediately competing for a place under Liam Rosenior, who knows him well.

Yet for all that order, the defence still felt unresolved.

Jacquet’s Appeal Beyond the Numbers

Chelsea believed a key reason for Jacquet’s decision was the competition he would face in west London. Josh Acheampong is considered untouchable. Sarr is firmly in the plans. “There are no regrets that they missed out on Jacquet because of their decision to keep Acheampong and Sarr as part of their plans.”

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That line matters. It suggests conviction. But it also hints at how pathways are perceived by young players. Liverpool, for all their own depth, sold a clearer vision. Opportunity, timing, belief. Jacquet chose the environment where progression felt more linear.

In that sense, the missed signing reflects less on finances and more on narrative.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Chelsea supporter’s perspective, the Jacquet episode feels frustrating rather than alarming. There is logic to backing Acheampong and Sarr. Both are highly rated, both represent internal value, and both align with a club trying to step away from endless churn. Stability matters.

Still, it is hard to ignore the pattern. Too often, Chelsea appear confident after missing out on players, rather than before. Jacquet choosing Liverpool raises uncomfortable questions about how persuasive Chelsea’s sporting vision currently is to elite young defenders.

Supporters will note that Chelsea “desired a centre-half (regardless of Sarr’s recall)”, yet passed on Jacquet because of congestion. That sounds sensible, until injuries strike or development stalls, as they so often do. Depth is not the same as readiness.

There is also an emotional element. Liverpool felt like a football choice. Chelsea felt like a squad calculation. For a 19 or 20-year-old defender, that distinction matters.

Chelsea fans can accept losing players. What is harder to accept is losing them without a clear counter-move. If the summer delivers the right centre-back, Jacquet will fade into footnote territory. If not, this will feel like another moment when Chelsea trusted the plan, and the plan blinked first.