Jeremy Jacquet’s long awaited Liverpool debut will have to wait a little longer, with the French defender missing out on the squad for tonight’s pre season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville.
The 21 year old had been widely expected to feature at GEODIS Park, with several predicted lineups naming him in the starting eleven alongside Joe Gomez at the heart of Andoni Iraola’s defence.
UK ONLY
It would have marked his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt since completing his move from Rennes, and more significantly, his first competitive minutes at any level since February following shoulder surgery.
Instead, reports from Nashville confirm that Jacquet has been left out due to a minor problem.
Crucially, the absence is being described as precautionary rather than a genuine setback, and he is expected to resume training with the rest of the squad in the United States in the coming days.
That distinction matters.
Liverpool’s medical department has been under considerable strain heading into the new campaign, with Hugo Ekitike still recovering from an Achilles issue, Conor Bradley managing a knee problem, and Giovanni Leoni working his way back from an ACL injury.
Iraola has already confirmed none of the three are close to a return, meaning there was little appetite to take any risk whatsoever with a player only recently back from a lengthy layoff of his own.
Given the conditions in Nashville, that caution looks entirely sensible.
Temperatures around kickoff were expected to sit near 28°C but feel closer to 37°C due to humidity levels approaching 74 percent, hardly the environment in which to reintroduce a player easing his way back to full fitness after months on the sidelines.
Jacquet’s absence has opened the door for others, and Iraola has responded by handing opportunities to Liverpool’s academy contingent.
Four teenagers have been named in the starting eleven for the match, with Trey Nyoni’s academy colleagues William Wright, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Rio Ngumoha and Kieran Morrison all handed starts in what represents a significant show of faith from the new head coach.
That youthful selection is partly a consequence of circumstance.
Eight players remain on holiday following the World Cup, including finalists Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz, while Alisson, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, Alexander Isak, Ryan Gravenberch, and Florian Wirtz are all yet to link up with the group.
Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic have travelled but are only participating in partial training.
For Jacquet, the delay is frustrating but hardly alarming.
Liverpool have three matches on this American tour, taking in Nashville, New York, and Chicago, giving the young defender ample opportunity to make his bow before the Premier League season begins.
For now, patience remains the priority.
Iraola clearly has one eye on August rather than July.
Jeremy Jacquet won’t be involved for Liverpool today. Just a precautionary measure and he is expected to resume training while on the US tour.
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) July 25, 2026
Jeremy Jacquet
Liverpool vs Sunderland