Liverpool secured the signing of highly-rated young defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, beating off competition from several Premier League giants. The 20-year-old Frenchman has revealed he turned down interest from both Manchester United and Chelsea to join the Reds.
Why Jacquet Chose Liverpool
Jacquet, who agreed to the move in February before staying with Rennes until the summer, explained his decision-making process. “Honestly, a lot of false things were said! My brother and I were saying, ‘Where did that come from? I never said that!’ It was the first time I’d seen my name linked to social media like that… But anyway, it means clubs are interested in you,” he told Ouest France.
He added: “I won’t say it happened quickly, because I took my time with this big step. But I quickly saw myself at Liverpool. I heard they came in at the last minute, but that’s not true. I’d been talking with them for a long time.”
Interest from Manchester United and Chelsea
When asked if Manchester United were among the clubs interested, Jacquet confirmed: “For example, but also other clubs that haven’t been mentioned. It didn’t happen in a week.” He also named Chelsea as an interested party, but felt the Blues’ squad was too crowded. “At Chelsea, I felt there were quite a lot of [other] people. Whereas at Liverpool, apart from the fact that Virgil van Dijk is nearing the end of his career, training with him is going to be huge,” he said.
The centre-back sees a clearer path to first-team football at Anfield and is eager to learn from experienced defenders like Van Dijk and compatriot Ibrahima Konate. “He’s going to teach me so much. There’s also Ibou Konate, who can help me settle in. Training with guys like that, it doesn’t get any better than that,” Jacquet added.
Injury and Transfer Details
Jacquet suffered a serious shoulder injury shortly after agreeing to the Liverpool move and has not played since February. Despite this setback, his talent has been widely recognised. The defender cost Liverpool a reported £55 million upfront, with an additional £5 million in add-ons. He has represented France at Under-21 level but is yet to earn a senior cap.
Manager’s Praise
Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his delight at signing Jacquet in February, saying: “Very pleasing, because first of all he is a very big talent – and maybe even more than ‘only’ a talent. Second of all because we weren’t the only one interested in him. It’s another example of the model we are using at this club: young, very talented players who can improve us for the short, but definitely also for the long term.”
