CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. Leeds won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. Leeds won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Andoni Iraola is expecting Jeremy Jacquet to make his first pre-season outing against Como next week after the club opted to be cautious with the defender.
The Frenchman was anticipated to be a focal point of Liverpool’s summer after his £60 million move, but he has yet to be involved in any of the warm-up friendlies.
The 21-year-old was absent again as the Reds lost 3-2 to Monaco on Sunday after another week without joining full first-team training.
That is expected to change, however, with Iraola offering a encouraging update ahead of the double-header against Como next Sunday.
“Jeremy, we were in doubt whether to pick him today or not; we decided not,” Iraola explained to LFCTV. “But he should be fine for the next one.”
CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet waves to the supporters before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Sunday, August 2, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet waves to the supporters before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
While it was not a guarantee from Iraola, it is at least a positive indication that the centre-back is edging closer to full fitness ahead of the season opener.
Virgil van Dijk and Ifeanyi Ndukwe started against Monaco as the lone fit specialists, but the club will soon welcome Barcelona‘s Ronald Araujo after agreeing a loan deal for the centre-back.
In the short term, it alleviates the pressure on Jacquet to immediately step in alongside Van Dijk after a summer managing his discomfort on return from shoulder surgery.
As Iraola previously explained, the Frenchman trained “very well” at the start of pre-season but then felt “some discomfort” that led Liverpool to be cautious in the aftermath of Joe Gomez‘s injury.
With the head coach likely to use the second match against Como (6pm BST) as a dress rehearsal for the season opener, Jacquet could instead feature in the behind-closed-doors match at the AXA earlier in the day (12pm).
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Football – Pre-Season Friendly – Liverpool FC v AS Monaco
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola after a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Liverpool lost 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Football – Pre-Season Friendly – Liverpool FC v AS Monaco
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates with team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai (R) after scoring the first goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)