How $76-million Jérémy Jacquet shapes Liverpool’s project

Barely 20 years old and with just over 50 senior appearances to his name, Jérémy Jacquet has already written himself into Liverpool’s history books.

The French center back is now officially the seventh most expensive transfer the club has ever completed, underlining the scale of Liverpool’s belief in his potential.

Liverpool have moved decisively to secure Jacquet’s signature, committing a fixed $65 million fee, with an additional $11 million in performance-based add-ons.

Despite being relatively unknown to the wider public, the France Under-21 international attracted serious interest from several Premier League rivals, including Chelsea.

Determined not to miss out, the Reds acted early, making Jacquet their first signing for the 2026–27 season.

He will, however, remain at Stade Rennais until the conclusion of the current campaign.

Jacquet’s arrival inevitably raises questions about the future of Ibrahima Konaté at Anfield.

Konaté’s contract expires this June, and negotiations over a renewal have yet to make progress.

While Real Madrid recently withdrew from the race to sign him on a free transfer, uncertainty remains.

Should Konaté depart, Liverpool are expected to seek an experienced center back to balance a defense increasingly built around youth.

That youth movement already includes Giovanni Leoni, signed last summer for $33 million.

Just 19 at the time, Leoni suffered a serious injury on his Liverpool debut and has yet to make his mark, effectively becoming a “new signing” for the upcoming season.

Highly rated by those who have followed his development, Leoni has even drawn comparisons to Italian legend Paolo Maldini.

Together, the Leoni–Jacquet partnership is widely viewed as a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk, whose Liverpool contract runs until June 2027.

Jacquet, a physically dominant defender with a powerful stride and strong tackling ability, has been a regular for Rennes this season, starting all 19 of his appearances.

A product of the Rennes academy, his rise has been rapid—moving from a Ligue 2 loan spell at Clermont just a year ago to a blockbuster Premier League transfer.

Jacquet’s sale represents the most lucrative transfer in Stade Rennais’ history, surpassing previous departures such as Jérémy Doku, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and Eduardo Camavinga.

For Liverpool, it is another bold step in building a defense not just for today, but for the next decade