Liverpool complete £60m transfer for Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes – with highly-rated defender to move to Anfield in the summer after Reds hijack rivals Chelsea to his signature

Liverpool have confirmed the imminent £60million signing of highly-rated Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, who will join the club in the summer.

Chelsea had been pushing to sign the France Under-21 international and were considered favourites, but Liverpool forced their way to the front of the queue and completed the signing of the centre back.

On Sunday, Daily Mail Sport reported that Jacquet recognised he could have a greater chance of playing first team football with the Premier League champions than at Stamford bridge.

He will, though, stay with Rennes for the rest of the season until making the move to Liverpool in the summer.

The deal was the preference of Rennes who did not wish to lose the young defender in this window, allowing them to replace him at the end of the season.

Chelsea were told by Rennes and Jacquet’s camp that the fee and personal terms were not an issue as deadline day neared. 

However, in the last 48 hours, it was communicated to the Blues that Jacquet was prioritising a move to Liverpool. 

The reasoning given to Chelsea is understood to be that he was concerned by Mamadou Sarr returning from Strasbourg and their refusal to entertain offers for academy graduate Josh Acheampong – whereas there will be less competition at Liverpool upon his arrival.

Liverpool confirmed that the 20-year-old will join the club if all goes to plan with a work permit and international clearance.

So far this season, Jacquet has played 18 times for the Ligue 1 side, who are sixth in the standings.

Since making his debut last season, he has played 31 times in total, and has also been capped five times by France’s U21 side.

Liverpool are currently short at centre back, with teenage defender Giovanni Leoni out for the season after an ACL injury and Joe Gomez struggling with fitness.

That often leaves Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as their only senior centre back options, and Konate is out of contract at the end of the season.