Liverpool have reached an agreement with French club Rennes for the signing of highly rated defender Jeremy Jacquet in a deal worth up to £60 million.
The Premier League champions will pay an initial £55 million for the 20-year-old centre-back, with a further £5 million included in performance-related add-ons. Despite strong interest from Chelsea, who were widely seen as frontrunners, Liverpool moved decisively to secure the France U21 international’s signature.
Jacquet is expected to complete the move this summer but will remain with Rennes on loan until the end of the current season to continue his development.
The transfer follows Liverpool’s unsuccessful pursuit of Marc Guehi last summer. The England defender ultimately joined Manchester City earlier this month. The club also considered a short-term loan move for Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida, but negotiations were deemed overly complex.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Jacquet is scheduled to travel to north-west England on Monday to finalise personal terms. He is set to sign a contract running until 2030, with an option for an additional year.
The young defender has made 18 Ligue 1 appearances this season and is viewed internally as a long-term investment, forming part of Liverpool’s future core alongside recent additions Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez.
