How Liverpool beat Chelsea in the race to sign ‘big gem’ Jeremy Jacquet, why it wasn’t about money, why experts say he’s the next Virgil Van Dijk and is ‘Premier-League ready’ and the disease he’s had to battle

On this week last year, Rennes were forking out what was described as a hefty fee to get Jeremy Jacquet.

After six months on loan in the French second tier with Clermont Foot, which locals say was ‘too easy for him’, the Ligue 1 club wanted him back – so paid £775,000 to cancel it early.

Twelve months later, Rennes have made their money back 75 times over, after Liverpool won the race – and it was a race – to sign the 20-year-old for a mega £55million plus an extra £5m in add-ons on a five-year deal with the option to trigger an extra one.

Liverpool believe that Jacquet’s signature is a coup and, in a similar deal to those done for current defensive duo Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, think they have secured a gem for the future.

The sheer speed of Jacquet’s rise has been astonishing, though the fact he has got a big-money move is no surprise.

Rennes observers say that if it was not for a couple of nasty early-career injuries, the defender would have already moved to a higher level. And their development coach Pierre-Emmanuel Bordeau insists: ‘He is the technical leader of his generation.’

‘He is so quick, smart, doesn’t dive in and reads the game well,’ says French football expert Julien Laurens

It is a view shared by French football expert Julien Laurens, who tells Daily Mail Sport: ‘He has played only 36 games in Ligue 1, never played in European competition, never played with French A team, though Didier Deschamps is keeping an eye on him.

‘But he has all the potential in the world. He has everything to be the best defender in the world in a few years. He is so quick, smart, doesn’t dive in, reads the game well, can maybe improve with the ball.

‘He is Paris born and bred, grew up on a council estate so has that toughness and good values. He is expensive and as we see with Leny Yoro (at Manchester United) that does not guarantee instant success but there is a great player in him. Liverpool have a big gem that’s why they could not let him go as he would not be available for them (in the future).’

That last point is bang on. If Liverpool had not acted now, the price-tag was only going in one direction. From Christmas up until the very last hours of January, the Premier League champions were lingering in the background of the saga as Chelsea tried to seal the deal.

Maybe after last summer, the Blues should have kept their head on a swivel in fear of their friends up in Merseyside pouncing. It was what Liverpool did with Florian Wirtz, the German superstar who appeared to be heading to either Bayern Munich or Manchester City. And the same with 15-goal Hugo Ekitike, the French striker who was ‘close’ to Newcastle before Liverpool’s hijack mission. And now they have done the same with Jacquet. 

The pitch to the youngster was led by Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes, who believes Van Dijk is the gold standard of defenders. Jacquet had been all set for Chelsea but Liverpool stepping up their pursuit made him change his mind.

Jacquet was given the green light to fly from nearby Nantes to Manchester on Monday morning for a medical and then was back in France later that day to travel straight on to Marseille for Rennes’ Coupe de France match.  

He was sold on Liverpool based on the pathway to the first team. They did not offer him more money than Chelsea but convinced him on a footballing level. Watching two other Frenchmen, Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate, succeed at Liverpool may have also helped.

The pitch to Jacquet was led by Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes (left)

Watching his fellow Frenchmen, Hugo Ekitike, succeed at Liverpool could have helped sway Jacquet to Liverpool from Chelsea

One thing that excited Liverpool was how the defender has dealt with setbacks in the past. Jacquet had Osgood-Schlatter disease in his mid-teens, an issue similar to growing pains that has halted the careers of so many talented stars – including some at Liverpool. He also dislocated his shoulder at his first Rennes trial. His first weeks on loan at Clermont did not go well, either, as the side were relegated from Ligue 1.

Many point to a game at the start of this season where Rennes went down to 10 men after 31 minutes at home to Marseille as a defining moment.

Matt Spiro, the French commentator, says: ‘He looks like a man among boys, I felt similarly in the past watching teenage William Saliba and Raphael Varane. Jacquet stood firm and Rennes nicked a 91st-minute winner.’

Local journalist Julien Lechevestrier adds: ‘It’s clear Jacquet has a high potential. I can compare Jacquet to a new Saliba. Liverpool have their new Virgil van Dijk for the years to come. He will have to adapt to the Premier League, but yes, Jacquet is made for the toughest league in the world.’

And that Van Dijk line is one of the most pertinent things here. Jacquet is not Van Dijk, neither is £26m summer arrival Giovanni Leoni – but signing them now, at 18 and 20 respectively, is planning for a world without the captain.

Don’t forget Van Dijk, probably the best defender of his generation, was 24 by the time he moved to the Premier League from Celtic. Jacquet has four years on that, Leoni six – though he has been hampered by an anterior cruciate ligament injury so far in England.

It would not be putting words in Arne Slot’s mouth to say Van Dijk is the ultimate example of how to be a footballer. He is ever-present, a leader, a standard-bearer on the pitch and in training, a monstrous defender and a top professional. But he is 35 in July. He is also out of contract at the end of next season. Knowing what we know about Van Dijk, he could well play at the top level for many more years to come – although Liverpool cannot take that risk and must plan for the future.

Liverpool are planning for life after Virgil van Dijk (left) and Ibrahima Konate

Jacquet has been compared to the Arsenal centre-half William Saliba and not just because they both hail from the Parisian commune of Bondy

This January has been all about that as Jacquet is not the only defender they have signed. Ifeanyi Ndukwe (17) has signed from Austria Wien, Mor Talla Ndiaye (18) joined from Senegalese club Amitie FC and Noah Adekoya (19) was bought from Burnley.

The latter made his debut for the Under 21s in a 1-0 win down at a blustery Brighton on Friday evening and, while patience is needed on all three, Liverpool wanted to strengthen their defensive depth across the club.

Jacquet is seen as one who can immediately impact the first team, though – as he should at the best part of £60m. And the Saliba comparisons do not stop with his on-the-pitch style. Like the Arsenal defender, Jacquet was born in the Parisian commune of Bondy.

Something, clearly, is in the water in Bondy as the best French player of his generation, Kylian Mbappe, also hails from the area – as does Tottenham forward Randal Kolo Muani, plus several other Ligue 1 players.

Simply sharing a birthplace with Mbappe and Co does not guarantee greatness but Jacquet has demonstrated he is one to punch above his weight – and it is believed that he would have already made his big move if it was not for injuries in his early career. 

Daily Mail Sport first signposted Jacquet as one to watch 18 months ago, writing at the time: ‘The 6ft 2in Jacquet has all the raw materials to become an outstanding central defender: pace, athleticism, timing, power and composure. Along with Spain’s Yarek Gasiorowski, Jacquet was the best defender in the recent Euro Under-19 competition.

‘All he needs now is an extended first-team chance and given Rennes’s record at promoting and improving young players, the signs are promising, although he will spend the season at Clermont Foot in the French second tier.’

Rennes, about two hours outside of Paris, boasts a prosperous academy with current Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele plus his PSG team-mate Desire Doue and Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga all graduates. Tottenham’s Mathys Tel is another. Jacquet is the leading light of his generation, though, and has captained the French national team that won every age-group tournament from Under-16s upwards.

Jacquet is the leading light of his generation and has captained the French national team that won every age-group tournament from Under-16s upwards

The Liverpool pitch was the best for Jacquet and so he chose Anfield as his preferred destination

It is why Chelsea wanted him and believed they were leading the chase for most of January, though Stamford Bridge insiders had urged caution, as Daily Mail Sport noted in our Liverpool transfer question-and-answer which was the first report to reveal interest from Merseyside.

Liam Rosenior’s side, it is understood, had dismissed potential options Marcos Senesi of Bournemouth and Como defender Jacobo Ramon and were prepared to go all out for Jacquet. He was not just another young player to stockpile, they saw him as a key cog for now.

But so did Liverpool who, alongside Chelsea, agreed a package with Rennes. Like so many in the last year or so, the Liverpool pitch was just better than any other and so he chose Anfield as his preferred destination.

Arne Slot would have liked him to join now but he has to be patient and wait until next season. There is nothing wrong with buying a Jacquet in the winter ready for the summer.