Chelsea’s big plans for transfers in January have hit a major problem. Reports from Germany say that the Blues have been in serious talks with Rennes about 20-year-old center-back Jeremy Jacquet. The Premier League club want to make a winter transfer. The French club, on the other hand, have made it clear that they don’t want to lose Jacquet in the middle of the season.
Rennes are currently fifth in Ligue 1, which puts them in the running for a spot in the Champions League. The top three teams in France’s top league automatically qualify for Europe’s top tournament. The fourth-place team gets a spot in the qualifying rounds. Les Rouge et Noirs don’t want to weaken their defence at this important point in the season because their hopes for the whole season are on the line.
Sources in France say that Chelsea are ready to make an offer of around €50 million for the young Frenchman. Rennes, on the other hand, have said that they won’t even talk about it if the price is less than €40 million.
In May 2025, Jacquet signed a contract extension with Rennes that lasts until 2029. This gives the Brittany club a stronger position in negotiations. The defender came through Rennes’ youth academy and made his professional debut in January 2024.
This season, Jacquet has become a regular starter, playing in 16 Ligue 1 games. The 20-year-old is 1.88m tall and mostly plays as a center-back, but he can also play as a right-back. He has played for France at different youth levels and was named to the UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament in 2024.
Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Liverpool are also interested in signing the young defender, alongside Chelsea. But it looks like the West London club are the most interested at this point.
Rosenior’s Role In Chelsea’s Strong Defense
Chelsea’s transfer priorities have changed since Liam Rosenior joined the team at Stamford Bridge. The 41-year-old signed a contract with the Blues that runs until 2032. He had successful stints at Derby County, Hull City, and, most recently, Strasbourg.
Rosenior likes defenders who can play the ball and help with build-up play, so going after Jacquet makes sense. Chelsea were interested in the Rennes starlet before Rosenior was hired, but sources say the new boss supports the move and thinks the 20-year-old would fit perfectly into his system.
But now Rosenior has to deal with the difficulties of negotiating in January. Chelsea’s new management will have a hard time dealing with Rennes’ determination to keep Jacquet until at least the summer. The standoff will test the club’s resolve, and Rosenior may have to look for immediate defensive help elsewhere as he starts to build his team for the rest of the season.