Jeremy Jacquet Signing Hailed by Arne Slot as Example of Liverpool’s Long-Term Transfer Policy

Arne Slot has expressed his delight at the agreement that will see Liverpool sign Jeremy Jacquet at the end of the season.

Jacquet rejected Chelsea before committing to a move to Anfield in the summer.

The 20-year-old Rennes defender will sign a contract with Liverpool until June 2031. Liverpool will pay Rennes at least £55 million.

Arne Slot praises Jeremy Jacquet signing

Jacquet’s high transfer fee led France legend Christophe Dugarry to call Liverpool “suckers”. However, Slot believes the deal represents a sound long-term investment.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, Reds boss Slot told reporters: “Very pleasing, of course. He’s a very big talent and maybe even more than talent, but we speak about talent because of his age.

“Second, because we weren’t the only ones interested in him. So it’s a big compliment to the people working really hard to sign players.”

Jeremy Jacquet is Liverpool’s 13th signing of the Arne Slot era

Liverpool signed just one player during Slot’s first season as manager — the £10m purchase of Federico Chiesa in August 2024.

But this season has since seen Slot’s Liverpool sign Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pecsi, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Hugo Ekitike, Will Wright, Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Mor Talla Ndiaye for a combined cost of more than £400m.

Jacquet will become the 13th signing of Slot’s reign when he arrives this summer.

Arne Slot explains Liverpool’s transfer policy

Of Liverpool’s 11 signings this season, only back-up goalkeeper Freddie Woodman was older than 25 when he moved to Anfield.

Jacquet will turn 21 in July and Slot called him “such a big talent and another example of the model we’re using at this club.”

Explaining the target profile for Liverpool signings, Slot added: “Young, very talented players sometimes at the start of their careers or sometimes already a few years into their career. But always players that are young and can improve us in the short term, but also definitely in the long term.

“We’ve signed a lot of them recently and, like I’ve said many times, the mid-to-long-term future of this club — and even the short term — is in a very good place.”

Despite Liverpool investing heavily in new signings this season, Slot’s team currently sit sixth in the Premier League table — 14 points behind leaders Arsenal with 14 rounds of fixtures remaining.

Liverpool’s next match is at home to second-placed Manchester City on Sunday.

Arne Slot on Virgil van Dijk’s future

Liverpool will be captained on Sunday by 34-year-old Virgil van Dijk.

He will be 35 in July, but Slot is in no hurry to move on from the Dutch defender despite his age.

Slot said on Thursday: “Everything that is done here is never in panic. It’s always a long-term idea or something that has been thought about for a long time.

“Of course, we are aware of the fact that Virgil will not play for this club for 10 more years, but he has a one-and-a-half-year contract left so he will be with us for that period of time and maybe even longer if he keeps staying fit as he is now.

“As I’ve said before, what a compliment to him at his age to play every three days, not only for his club, but also for his country.

“Hopefully he can stay as fit as he is for multiple years, but this club, we are not stupid. We know somewhere in the upcoming years there is life without Virgil. I can say for every position that this club is not only thinking about the short term but the mid-to-long-term future in the decisions we make.”