The January transfer window is edging towards the deadline as Chelsea intensify their bid to sign Rennes wonderkid Jeremy Jacquet, even if the Ligue 1 side want £60m.
There have been differing reports over whether Jacquet has actually agreed personal terms with Chelsea, but the defender is supposedly interested in a move to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea hunting a deal.
Rennes want £60m for the France U21 star, a big fee given Chelsea spent £300m in the summer. It has been made clear to Rennes that Chelsea won’t go that high for Jacquet, but they could include players.
French media say Josh Acheampong or Andrey Santos could be used as makeweights to get Jacquet but nothing has emerged since the initial report. However, Rennes clearly feel Jacquet will need replacing.
How much would you be willing to pay for Jeremy Jacquet?💰
Rennes name Jeremy Jacquet price tag
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Rennes have now identified a replacement for Jacquet
Rennes manager Habib Beye made it clear he wants to keep Jacquet, but the latest reports suggest that the Ligue 1 side are now expecting Jacquet to leave. A player with less than 30 senior Rennes matches.
Indeed, French site Jeunes Footeux claim Rennes have decided to pick Copenhagen defender Ousmane Diao as a replacement for Jacquet. If they are picking replacements, clearly they think Jacquet will go.
FBL-EUR-C3-ROMA-MIDTJYLLAND
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Valued at £17m, Chelsea are not the only club interested in signing Diao. Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Bournemouth are all interested in signing Jacquet, as are a few German clubs.
If Chelsea fail to sign Jacquet, who will Liam Rosenior turn to?
Jacquet looks more and more likely to leave Rennes in the next fortnight, but whether Chelsea can convince Rennes to sell him permanently remains to be seen. Rennes are holding form on their price tag.
IMAGINE: You have the final say on Chelsea’s three-man centre-back shortlist. Who will you pick?
The three centre-back targets under consideration at Chelsea:
Jeremy Jacquet
Jacobo Ramon
Marcos Senesi
Đorđe Petrović and Marcos Senesi of Bournemouth
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Along with Jacquet, Chelsea have been linked with other centre-backs and reports say the Blues will move for Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi. Argentina ace Senesi is preferred at Chelsea, to Jacobo Ramon.
As for now and ahead of Pafos on Wednesday, Rosenior is not expected to rush Tosin back into the side after he felt a tweak in his hamstring against Brentford. Fofana, Chalobah and Badiashile are all available.
But it does highlight the need for more central additions before the deadline, and there is no doubting that Jacquet would be a stunning signing. But at £60m? He seems a very expensive risk for Chelsea.
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