Liverpool Clinch £55 Million Deal to Sign Jeremy Jacquet Ahead of Chelsea

Written by Pavel Kateliev

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, | Updated: February 2, 2026

Key Takeaways:

Liverpool have agreed to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes for £55 million, with up to £5 million in performance-related bonuses
Jacquet changed his mind in the last 48 hours, opting for Liverpool over Chelsea despite both clubs making identical offers
The 20-year-old French defender will join the Reds in the summer and has signed a contract until 2031, with an option for an additional 12 months

Transfer Agreement and Details

Liverpool have secured the transfer of highly regarded central defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes. The deal is valued at £55 million with an additional potential £5 million in bonuses linked to the player’s achievements. Although Jacquet is set to undergo his medical examination today, he will not join Arne Slot’s squad immediately. Instead, his arrival at Anfield is scheduled for the summer, despite Liverpool’s current defensive concerns.

The French defender, aged 20, has agreed terms that will keep him at Liverpool until 2031, with the club holding an option to extend his contract by a further 12 months.

🚨💣 BREAKING: Jeremy Jacquet to Liverpool, here we go! Deal agreed now for June 2026, as revealed.
Understand fee is €60m plus €10m add-ons to Rennes. Jeremy has agreed personal terms with #LFC.
Agreement done for summer 2026 for one of the most talented CBs in the world. pic.twitter.com/eVoA75oAiQ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 1, 2026

Chelsea Outpaced by Liverpool in Final Hours

Chelsea also sought to bring Jacquet to Stamford Bridge, presenting an identical bid to Liverpool. However, Jacquet altered his initial preference within the last 48 hours and ultimately elected to sign with the Merseysiders.

Liverpool’s Defensive Restructuring

Liverpool continue their efforts to bolster the defensive ranks. The club previously missed out on Marc Guéhi, who opted for a move to Manchester City instead. The situation regarding Ibrahima Konaté’s future remains uncertain, as his contract is set to expire in the summer.

Player Background and Squad Perspective

Jeremy Jacquet is recognised as a youth international for France and developed through the Rennes academy system. This season, he has already featured in 18 matches for Rennes’ first team. Looking ahead to the summer, Liverpool are set to have two highly rated young centre-backs at their disposal in Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, the latter of whom is still recovering from a significant knee injury sustained at the very start of the campaign.