Liverpool’s €70m move for Jeremy Jacquet explained

Robin Bairner

2 Feb 2026 10:38 GMT
5 min read

Jeremy Jacquet, Liverpool, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Liverpool’s work in the transfer market over the course of the last six months has been eye-catching, and their decision to sign Jeremy Jacquet in a €70 million deal is no different.

Article continues under the video

Arne Slot’s side are set to spend big on the 20-year-old Rennes centre-back. A fee of €60m will go directly to the Ligue 1 club, with a further €10m potentially following in bonuses.

It’s a bold deal, not only because Liverpool outmanoeuvred Chelsea expertly to sign the player, but because of the size of the agreement.

Current ETV

Jérémy Jacquet

D (CR)

Rennes

Jérémy Jacquet

D (CR)

Rennes

ETV Range

€16M - €19.6M

Jacquet only has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €17.8m. His lack of true top-level experience largely explains why this is still at a comparatively low level, with the youngster yet to compete in Europe or win international honours. Indeed, he only has a year of Ligue 1 football behind him.

Yet it speaks volumes about his performances and potential that this has been enough to convince Liverpool to make him their second-most expensive defensive signing ever, following only Virgil van Dijk, whose €85m move from Southampton in January 2018 continues to set the standard.

Jacquet a like-for-like Konate replacement

Liverpool believe that Jacquet can be their long-term replacement for Ibrahima Konate, who appears destined to leave on a free transfer in the summer when his contract expires.

Physically, he is built in a similar manner, standing at over 6ft tall and capable of covering ground, while he also possesses the type of mentality that should allow him to thrive at Liverpool.

In terms of his profile and statistical numbers, he mirrors Konate. In league play this season, the players are closely aligned in the key defensive figures.

© IMAGO - Jeremy Jacquet, Ibrahima Konate, Style comparison

Data analytics experts SciSports compare him in style to his fellow Frenchman, but also to Arsenal duo William Saliba and Gabriel, the pair that have set the standard this season when it comes to solidity at the back.

“He’s taken a leap forward. He’s been receptive and has understood what he needs to improve,” Rennes boss Habib Beye explained recently.

“He’s got a lot of confidence. When we started working together, I warned him about overconfidence. He’s also become more aggressive, which is what I expect from him.

“Jeremy has understood that this position isn’t just about what you do with the ball, but also the need to be tough and impactful when the team is under pressure.”

A monster in the air

At first glance, it would appear that Jacquet has a weakness in the air, but these fears can be easily allayed.

His numbers for open-play defence in the air look weak. While Konate posts 5.85, Jacquet is back at 2.45 – below average in Ligue 1. But this reflects a strength of Jacquet rather than a weakness.

Jeremy Jacquet, Ibrahima Konate, Stats comparison

He wins 68.97% of his aerial duels, which is the second-highest figure in France’s top-flight, and this rises to 83.33% in his own penalty area. Jacquet’s volume of aerial work is so low because teams purposefully avoid testing him in this capacity.

Jacquet picks out his weakness

Up against his peers in Ligue 1, Jacquet also compares remarkably well, with data analytics company SciSports putting him among the elite performers at centre-back this season.

In terms of his technical capabilities, meanwhile, he has already picked out one area where improvement must be made: the mental aspect of his game.

“I see people saying I'm casual in my passing, but that's just my personality - when I have the ball, I tend to be quite relaxed. I have to raise my level of concentration for 90 minutes and in every duel,” he told Ouest France.

Jacquet is a player on the up, but his learning curve at Liverpool will only get steeper. Whether that gamble ultimately justifies a €70m outlay will only become clear over time.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•Google Play

•App Store