Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes ahead of this summer’s transfer window.
The Reds have pushed to come to an agreement with the French side before Monday’s January transfer deadline.
Jacquet had looked destined to sign for Chelsea earlier this month, but Liverpool have quietly snuck in to snatch him away from the Blues.
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How good a signing do you think Jeremy Jacquet will be?
Jeremy Jacquet warms up ahead of Rennes' Ligue 1 match against Monaco (Credit: Getty Images/Neal Simpson/Allstar).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Neal Simpson/Allstar
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It represents a big win for Liverpool, who have watched on as one talented young player after another has moved to Stamford Bridge in recent years.
That begs the question as to why Jacquet decided to buck the trend and join the Reds instead. Usually in these scenarios the reason is based on money, but according to journalist Fabrizio Romano’s, the young defender did not make his choice around the wages on offer.
Liverpool promised Jeremy Jacquet a key role
Liverpool have lost out to Chelsea plenty of times in recent transfer windows. Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia are just two examples of young players who couldn’t resist the long contracts on offer in West London.
Thankfully, Jacquet has made a different choice, and speaking on his YouTube channel on Sunday evening, Romano says it is all because of the project presented to him by Liverpool.
Jeremy Jacquet of Rennes in action during the Ligue 1 match against AS Monaco
Photo by Neal Simpson/Allstar/Getty Images
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“Jeremy Jacquet accepted the exactly same terms from Liverpool that was offered by Chelsea,” said the transfer expert. “Liverpool didn’t offer extra money. So why going to Liverpool and not going to Chelsea?
“Liverpool presented their long term project telling the player that he was going to be a crucial player immediately, to be a big part of the Liverpool restyling in the defence. Giovanni Leoni was the beginning of that then he got injured. From next season he’s going to be a big part of this Liverpool defence rebuilding and then there is Jeremy Jacquet.
“He’s going to be an important member of the squad, he’s not going to be a squad player, Liverpool believe he is going to be a really important player in terms of minutes, place for next season and the player was really tempted by that. Important to say Liverpool were also very convincing, pushing to make it happen with Rennes. Very quiet, very secret in the press.”
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Giovanni Leoni poses at the AXA Training Centre after signing for Liverpool (Credit: Getty Images/Nikki Dyer - LFC).
Jeremy Jacquet celebrates after scoring for France U19 in the European Championship against Northern Ireland (Credit: Getty Images/Ramsey Cardy - Sportsfile/UEFA).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Nikki Dyer/LFC/Ramsey Cardy – Sportsfile/UEFA
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With the signing of Jacquet, Liverpool’s options at centre-back for next season just got a whole lot more clear.
There is still one big question mark, though, and that is whether Ibrahima Konate will still be around come the start of the campaign.
For now, it looks more likely that Konate will leave on a free transfer once his contract expires at the end of the season. That will clear the way for Jacquet to come straight into the starting XI.
On the recovery path after a serious knee injury, Leoni will not be expected to play regularly immediately, while the question marks over Joe Gomez are well established.
Liverpool could sign another, more experienced defender to offset the need to throw Jacquet straight in, but it sounds as though that is the plan in the long-term anyway, so the Reds may simply bring it forward.
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