Liverpool have completed the signing of highly rated French defender Jeremy Jacquet in a deal reported to be worth £60 million, a move that has drawn sharp criticism in France despite the club beating Chelsea to his signature.
The Premier League champions confirmed on deadline day that an agreement had been reached with Rennes for the 20 year old centre back, who will officially join Liverpool in the summer after spending the remainder of the season back with his boyhood club.
Jacquet, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Ligue 2 side Clermont Foot, was long expected to attract interest from England, with Chelsea heavily linked before Liverpool moved decisively to secure the transfer.
The deal has immediately become a talking point across Europe, with questions raised over the size of the fee for a player yet to make a sustained impact at the top level.
Former France international Christophe Dugarry was particularly outspoken, branding the move an example of excess in the English market and praising Rennes for maximising their return. Speaking to RMC Sport, Dugarry described Liverpool as naive for agreeing to such a figure and argued that the transfer places unnecessary pressure on a young player still early in his development.
The criticism comes amid wider debate over Premier League spending power, with English clubs repeatedly accused of distorting the market by paying fees that rivals across Europe struggle to match.
Jacquet’s move is also significant in the context of Liverpool’s long term planning. The club have invested heavily in youth across recent windows, targeting players with elite potential rather than immediate starters. This strategy has already been seen in defence, where Italian prospect Giovanni Leoni arrived last summer before suffering a serious knee injury shortly after.
At Anfield, the atmosphere around the deal has been one of anticipation rather than urgency. Jacquet is viewed internally as a future cornerstone rather than an instant solution, with his development expected to be carefully managed behind established senior figures.
On the pitch, Liverpool’s defensive hierarchy remains unchanged for now. Captain Virgil van Dijk continues to anchor the back line, while Ibrahima Konate returned to the starting XI in emphatic fashion, scoring in Saturday’s 4 1 win over Newcastle United.
That result keeps Liverpool firmly in control of their Premier League campaign and sets the stage for a high profile clash with Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
For Jacquet, the focus remains on finishing the season strongly with Rennes before making the move to England. For Liverpool, the deal represents another bold bet on potential, one that will be judged over years rather than months as they continue to build a defence for the next era.
