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The clock is ticking on the January transfer window, with Premier League clubs having just days remaining to complete their business before the deadline slams shut at 7pm on Monday, February 2.
Chelsea are working frantically to finalise one last signing before time runs out, with Rennes central defender Jérémy Jacquet identified as their top defensive target for the remainder of the window.
The Blues are attempting to steal a march on their rivals – including Liverpool – by convincing the French club to allow the 20-year-old to move to Stamford Bridge immediately, rather than waiting until the summer when competition for his signature is expected to intensify significantly according to the Telegraph.
It has been reported by Sky Sports that Jacquet would prefer a move to Stamford Bridge, serving as a further blow to Liverpool.
However, significant barriers remain to completing a deal before Monday’s deadline. Rennes are understood to have proposed an alternative arrangement that would see Jacquet remain in France until the summer before moving to Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are insistent on adding him to their squad immediately.
The Premier League club will hold further talks throughout the weekend aimed at finding a breakthrough, with both scenarios – an immediate move or a summer transfer – still on the table. Chelsea have not given up hope of convincing Rennes to sanction a January departure, but time is running perilously short.
Rennes manager Habib Beye has been vocal about his desire to retain “one of the best players” in his squad for the remainder of the campaign, stating last week: “I believe that today he is a very important player for our objectives. If tomorrow we were to let him go, we would have to lower our expectations.”
With Rennes sitting eighth in Ligue 1 and still fighting for European qualification, losing their most promising young defender mid-season would be a major blow to their ambitions. The French side also hold a strong negotiating position, with Jacquet contracted until June 2029.
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