Both Newcastle and Arsenal are being linked with a transfer bid for the same talented defender - and Newcastle should seriously consider a bid.
As disastrous as Newcastle United’s summer has been so far, there are still a few weeks of the transfer window left for them to steady the ship and put things right – but if they are to set themselves up for success in both domestic and continental football this season, they will need to add some reinforcements at the back.
As it stands, Newcastle have four centre-backs on the books – Sven Botman, whose recent career has been marred by persistent injuries, Jamaal Lascelles, a 30-year-old not far removed from major knee surgery, and Dan Burn and Fabian Schär, both 32. Between age and fitness concerns, there is a pretty clear need for fresh blood.
Some stories suggest that they will make another attempt to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, others have the Magpies bidding for Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini or Marseille’s Leonardo Balerdi. But another recent story presents an interesting alternative, and perhaps even a chance to do to Arsenal what other clubs have been doing to them all summer…
The Arsenal transfer that Newcastle could hijack
Numerous reports on both sides of the English Channel suggest that Arsenal have a strong interest in 20-year-old Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, a France Under-21 international whose performances in Ligue 1 have been generating a lot of excitement. For Arsenal, Jacquet would likely be a replacement for Jakub Kiwior, who could leave the club – but Kiwior’s departure is far from confirmed, and there could be a window for another team to beat them to the punch. That, perhaps, is where Newcastle could come in.
A report from TBR Football suggests that both Newcastle and Liverpool are also keeping tabs on the young defender, although the list of suitors may be even longer if you believe Caught Offside, who throw Aston Villa, Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion into the mix.
It’s not too tricky to see why Jacquet would appeal to Eddie Howe and his transfer team. Although young, he is already exceptionally sharp in the tackle, his positioning is on point and he’s composed and confident with the ball at his feet, often carrying the ball out from the back under pressure while demonstrating an impressive passing range.
Not only would he add some young blood to a defence that sorely needs it, he should mesh extremely well with Howe’s tactics, which look for opportunities to counter-attack quickly and play through an opposing high press. That’s Jacquet’s natural game, and the evidence we have so far – which is admittedly relatively slim – suggests that he’s close to being ready for regular top-flight football.
Jacquet only has 18 appearances to his name in Ligue 1 but was impressive last season, both in the French top flight with Rennes and during a brief loan spell in the second tier with Clermont Foot, demonstrating a reading of the game that belies his years.
A former Rennes reserve team coach, Pierre-Emmanuel Bourdeau, who worked with Jacquet was clearly impressed with the pace of his development, too, telling the French media that Jacuqet has “progressed enormously… particularly in terms of maturity. He lacked a bit of reliability, but now he has a real defensive spirit. He’s a complete player, who still has a lot of room for improvement.”
Quite a few Premier League teams plainly agree with that glowing review, but his style of play may well suit Newcastle better than any of the other teams linked with his signature. The question is whether they can sign him the summer – or whether anyone can.
Mixed messages abound on Jacquet’s future
The British and French media are telling two rather different stories about the likely course of Jacquet’s future, with far more optimism about the odds of a deal being done emanating from the British side.
Foot Mercato allege that Jacquet has rejected the possibility of a move to Arsenal to continue his development in France, while Fabrizio Romano claims that Rennes have told the Gunners that he is “untouchable” this summer, which may well be the case given that the defender only signed a four-year contract extension in May.
Certainly the €20m (£17.5m) transfer fee that was bandied about by some outlets when news of Arsenal’s interest first broke seems exceptionally ambitious at this stage – it’s unlikely that Rennes would sell for a fee which wasn’t effectively an overpay.
TBR Football do raise the possibility that Arsenal (or another English side) could sign Jacquet and loan him straight back to Rennes, a logical suggestion but not one corroborated by any further reporting. As it stands, Jacquet looks more likely to stay put.
But Rennes are ultimately a selling club and could surely have their arm twisted, whether that’s by Arsenal, Newcastle or another of the sides said to be monitoring the situation – and given his talent and the extent to which he seems to fit Newcastle’s style of play, it certainly makes sense for Newcastle to take a shot.
That’s doubly true when you consider that none of their other targets will be easy to get. Liverpool want Guéhi and the player is said to want to move to Anfield. Scalvini is coming back from injury problems and Atalanta would demand a large fee. Balerdi is probably obtainable, but the rumours have slowed down on that side of things.
Whether Newcastle do firm up their alleged interest in Jacquet remains to be seen, as does the reality of whether Jacquet wishes to remain with Rennes a little longer. This may well be a deal that gets revisited next summer – but should Arsenal press ahead, the Newcastle may be wise to follow suit, or get in there first. Jacquet has all the hallmarks of a defender who with a very bright future.
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