Liverpool boss Arne Slot said of beating the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United to Jacquet’s signature: “Very pleasing, of course. He's a very big talent and maybe even more than talent but we speak about talent because of his age. Second, because we weren't the only one interested in him so it's a big compliment to the people working really hard to sign players.
“Such a big talent and another example of the model we're using at this club -- young, very talented players sometimes at the start of their careers or sometimes already a little bit a few years into their career but always players that are young and can improve us in the short term but also definitely in the long term. We've signed a lot of them recently and like I've said many times in the mid-long term future of this club, and even the short term, is in a very good place.”
Jacquet has been acquired as Liverpool prepare to lose Ibrahima Konate as a free agent and see club captain Virgil van Dijk turn 35. Slot is adamant that Jacquet is not an immediate replacement for the current skipper at Anfield.
He added on Van Dijk: “Nothing that’s done over here is ever from panic. It’s always a long-term idea or something that has been thought about for a long time. By not only one person, but by multiple people.
“Of course we are aware of the fact that Virgil will not play for this club for 10 more years, but he has a one-and-a-half-year contract left so he will be with us for that period of time and maybe even longer if he keeps staying as fit as he is now.
“Because I’ve said it before, what a compliment to him at his age to play every three days, not only for our club but also for his country, for seven or eight months already. So yeah, hopefully he can stay as fit as he is for multiple years.
“But this club, we are not stupid, we do know that somewhere in the upcoming years there is life for this club without Virgil. So you are now talking about Virgil, but I can say this for every position: this club is not only thinking about the short-term future, but also the mid-to-long-term future, in the decisions we make.”