Liverpool prayers could still be answered by £60m defensive star 'The Boy's A Bit Special'

Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool were all credited with interest in the Stade Rennais centre-back whose breakthrough at the club is the latest in a succession of Rennes academy graduates bound for the other side of the English Channel.

Ultimately, Liverpool were the successful party in landing Jacquet's signature and the Frenchman will join the Reds later this year in a deal worth an initial £55 million, with a further £5m to be paid in future add-ons.

Compared to Rennes peers Mathys Tel and Desire Doue, Jacquet was something of a late bloomer, his development hampered for injuries and growing pains in his younger teenage years. For that reason, he had to wait for his opportunity in the first-team, after an initial spell out on loan with Clermont Foot.

Jeremy Jacquet, Welcome to the Premier League

It was only when he was recalled by former Premier League defender Habib Beye, in charge of Rennes at the time, that Jacquet set in motion the sequence of events which has led him to become the Ligue 1 club's most expensive export.

Born in the Parisien suburb of Bondy, which was also home to Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba and Randal Kolo Muani, Jacquet moved to Rennes' well-regarded academy as a youngster.

His size and ability to read danger stood out immediately in France's youth international sides and he was named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament at the 2024 Under-19 European Championship.

His loan stint at Clermont was far from straightforward, struggling for minutes during his first six months as the team were relegated from Ligue 1. In the division below, with his temporary stay extended, Jacquet was better able to demonstrate his faculties, leading Beye to gamble on his recall as Rennes battled against relegation themselves.

Upon returning to his parent club, Rennes went 355 minutes without conceding when Jacquet was on the pitch and by the end of the season, had climbed back up to the relative safety of mid-table.

Get VIP Liverpool tickets HERE with Seat Unique!

Seat Unique tickets at Anfield offer a fantastic matchday. You get premium padded seats in the new Anfield Road stand (Block AM5, front rows) and access to the Brodies Lounge for three hours pre-match. Enjoy street food, a complimentary half-time drink, a matchday programme, and entertainment, including a Liverpool legend appearance, making it a truly elevated experience.

View Deal

Jacquet appears to have chosen Liverpool because of the likelihood he will feature prominently upon arriving at Anfield.

Arne Slot's side have a dearth of readily-available central defensive options, with Ibrahima Konate potentially leaving on a free transfer this summer, Giovanni Leoni ruled out until next season and Virgil van Dijk approaching the twilight of his top-level career.

DID YOU KNOW: Jacquet has previously disclosed one of his favourite players is current Reds defender Ibrahima Konate.