Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool’s marquee £60 million addition, Stade Rennais centre‑back Jeremy Jacquet, has had his dream move to Anfield disrupted after Rennes confirmed he will undergo surgery on his left shoulder.
The 20‑year‑old defender – signed from Rennes in a deal worth £55 million up front with an additional £5 million in add‑ons – is now set for an extended spell on the sidelines, with reports suggesting he may miss the remainder of the 2025–26 season.
Jacquet’s nightmare came just days after his move to Liverpool was announced.
On February 7, during Rennes’ 3–1 defeat to Lens, he landed heavily on his left shoulder and had to be helped off the pitch in visible pain, later fashioning a makeshift sling from his shirt. Initial hopes that rest alone would suffice quickly faded; subsequent medical assessments concluded that surgery represented the only viable route to a full recovery, leaving him effectively ruled out for the rest of the campaign.
Despite the setback, Liverpool remain confident Jacquet will be integrated into Arne Slot’s squad in time for the summer, with the player still due to complete his transfer in July. Rennes and club‑linked reports indicate a post‑surgery recovery horizon of roughly two and a half to three months, which would still allow him to be available for the 2026–27 pre‑season.
However, one Ligue 1 doctor – quoted in L’Équipe coverage – cautioned that a full return could be far longer and as much as five or six months:
“If it’s an instability (dislocation or equivalent), you have to expect about five months for a return to normal contact, duels, challenges, and falling without problems,” he said.
“Four for those with a rapid rehabilitation plan and six in the case of a slow one.”
The French newspaper also point to the case Amine Gouri of Marseille, who had a shoulder surgery on October 20 and was back in action by January 4. That two‑and‑a‑half‑month turnaround was earlier than anticipated and demonstrated that a swift return is possible.
Liverpool fans will be praying Jacquet’s case follows Gouiri’s more optimistic end‑to‑end trajectory: surgery followed by a clean, methodical rehab, then a return sharper and more robust than before.
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