Why Jeremy Jacquet Rejected Chelsea for Liverpool

Jeremy Jacquet will be playing in the Premier League next season but not in the colours of Chelsea.

The 20-year-old French defender had been in talks with the Stamford Bridge club over the past two weeks.

However, Jacquet has now agreed instead to sign for Liverpool, who are expected to pay Rennes a transfer fee of £55 million, plus £5m in potential add-ons.

Jeremy Jacquet set for Liverpool medical ahead of summer transfer

Jacquet is set to have a medical with Liverpool after agreeing to move to Anfield at the end of the 2025/26 season.

That timeline suits Rennes, who have been reluctant to weaken their squad mid-campaign as they push for European qualification.

It also suits Liverpool, who appear to be planning a defensive refresh in the summer.

At Anfield, the long-term picture is hard to ignore. Ibrahima Konate has entered the last six months of his current Liverpool contract, while captain Virgil van Dijk will turn 35 in July.

Liverpool have been linked with several defenders over the past year and have already missed out on at least one high-profile target, with Marc Guehi ending up at Manchester City.

Nevertheless, there is optimism inside the club that Jacquet can develop into a centre-back of similar calibre to Guehi, who is now earning wages in the region of £300,000 per week at the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool have also been linked with Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, who is valued at more than £100m by his current club.

Why did Jeremy Jacquet opt for Liverpool over Chelsea?

It is widely believed that Jacquet opted for Liverpool over Chelsea because of a clearer route to regular minutes, both immediately and over the next few seasons.

Chelsea have made a habit of stockpiling young talent, and their centre-back group is particularly crowded. It already includes Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Jorrel Hato, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana and Josh Acheampong.

For a 20-year-old moving abroad for the first time, that matters. A move of this size is not just about the contract. It is about choosing the environment most likely to accelerate development.

At Liverpool, Jacquet can arrive knowing there is a genuine need for succession planning and depth in his position. At Chelsea, the pathway may look less linear, with short-term squad decisions often reshaping the pecking order.

There is also a tactical element to the decision. Liverpool’s centre-backs are regularly asked to defend big spaces, win duels on the front foot and still stay composed when building from the back. Jacquet’s profile suits those demands to a tee.

Will Jeremy Jacquet be a regular starter for Liverpool?

If Konate leaves Anfield this summer, Jacquet could instantly become a first-team regular.

Konate’s departure would open up a space for Jacquet to frequently partner Van Dijk at the heart of Liverpool’s back four, an educational experience that would surely only accelerate his development.

Should Konate sign a new deal then Jacquet might not be one of the first names on Liverpool’s team sheet next season, but he would still likely be much higher in the pecking order than at Chelsea and therefore have a stronger chance of consistent game time on Merseyside.

Either way, Liverpool are not spending this kind of money for a player they plan to park on the bench long-term. Even if he starts as part of a rotation, the expectation will be that he grows into a key figure over the next few seasons, rather than simply serving as a squad player.

Who is Jeremy Jacquet?

Jacquet is a Rennes academy graduate who has risen quickly through the ranks in France.

He is a right-footed centre-back who combines physical presence with an assertive, front-foot style of defending. Standing at 6ft 2in (188cm), he is strong in the air and enjoys contact, but he is not just a pure stopper.

Jacquet is comfortable stepping out to engage attackers, has the pace to defend space behind him, and is composed enough on the ball to help his side play through pressure rather than simply clearing their lines.

His senior career gathered momentum after he made his Rennes debut in early 2024. He then gained valuable experience during a loan spell at Clermont, playing regular first-team football and showing enough to convince Rennes to bring him back into their plans.

This season, he has become a genuine first-team option at Rennes, featuring in 18 of his team’s first 20 Ligue 1 fixtures.

On the international stage, Jacquet has represented France at U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 levels. He was named in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament in 2024, when France finished runners-up to Spain.