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With less than a week remaining until the January transfer window closes, Liverpool are still being linked with several potential signings ahead of the February 2 deadline.
It remains unclear whether the Reds will make any moves in the coming days, but transfer speculation continues to surround Andy Robertson. The Scotland captain has attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur, and while discussions have taken place between the clubs, his current contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
Despite the rumours, Liverpool boss Arne Slot has confirmed that he expects Robertson to remain at Anfield beyond the close of the January window. Liverpool are also keeping an eye on other targets. RB Leipzig midfielder Yan Diomande has been linked with a move to Anfield, while Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet is reportedly attracting interest as well.
Jacquet is widely regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in French football and was heavily linked with Arsenal last summer. Liverpool’s defensive options are currently stretched, with Slot set to be without both Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate for the Qarabag clash, leaving captain Virgil van Dijk as the only senior centre-back available.
While the Reds have already signed Ifeanyi Ndukwe and El Hadji Mor Talla Ndiaye, both are expected to link up with Liverpool’s under-21 squad rather than the first team. Chelsea, meanwhile, have been looking to bolster their centre-back options before the transfer deadline and have identified Jacquet as their primary target after scouting the 20-year-old for some time.
Rennes, however, have been determined to retain Jacquet until the summer, with the defender’s current contract running through June 2029. Speaking to the media last week, Rennes head coach Habib Beye emphasised his desire to keep “one of the best players” in his squad at the midway point of the season.
“I believe that today he is a very important player for our objectives,” Beye told reporters when asked if Jacquet could be on his way out of the club. “If tomorrow we were to let him go, we would have to lower our expectations.
“When you have offers from such a club, it can make things a little hesitant. “I’m very firm on this situation. He is an essential player for us.” According to Sky Sports, Jacquet has expressed a preference for joining Chelsea, despite interest from multiple clubs.
Discussions between the two clubs are ongoing, though the Ligue 1 side remain keen to keep the defender until the summer. Jacquet has made 18 appearances for Rennes this season, following a loan spell at Clermont Foot in Ligue 2 last season.
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