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Feb. 1, 2026Updated 5:48 pm EST
Liverpool have agreed a deal with Rennes for the signing of defender Jeremy Jacquet.
The deal would be for the summer and is expected to be worth £55million plus £5m in add-ons, with personal terms not set to be an issue.
Liverpool pursued centre-back Marc Guehi last summer, but a £35million move from Crystal Palace collapsed on deadline day, and the England international subsequently joined Manchester City this January.
Liverpool view Jacquet, 20 as being a more valuable long-term acquisition than Guehi in their model, hence the push to sign the France youth international.
The club are trying to build a team for the next generation, following the summer signings of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, and Alexander Isak, and Jacquet is considered a big piece in this.
Jacquet has started in each of Rennes’ Ligue 1 matches for which he has been available this season, and had played every minute before his red card against Paris Saint-Germain on December 6.
He had also been of long-term interest to Arsenal, as reported by The Athletic in August, following an impressive loan spell with Ligue 2 side Clermont Foot, and strong performances in the top-flight with Rennes since breaking into the team in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign. He was discussed as a potential signing before Arsenal moved ahead with a deal for Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia last summer.
Jacquet came through the youth ranks of Rennes and has featured for France up to to under-21 level on the international stage.
Injuries to Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni have left Liverpool short in depth at centre-back this season, outside of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk. Konate’s contract is set to expire in the summer.
