Why Jeremy Jacquet is not a Liverpool player yet
Liverpool have agreed a deal for Jeremy Jacquet, but the defender is not yet a Liverpool player and will not officially join until the summer.
That distinction matters because there has been confusion over whether the 20-year-old French centre-back has already moved to Anfield or has been loaned back to Rennes.
French outlet L’Equipe has clarified the legal position of the transfer and explained why Jacquet remains with his current club for now.
L’Équipe reported: “Jeremy Jacquet is not on loan from Rennes to Liverpool. FIFA authorized a permanent transfer agreement signed in January with a contractually fixed effective date of July 1.” (Source: L’Équipe, via The Touchline on X).
The same update made the situation even clearer.
It added: “The player remains legally and sportingly with his current club. No loan is necessary since the transfer is not yet effective.
“He will indeed join Liverpool this summer, but for now he still belongs to Rennes.”
Why Jacquet is staying at Rennes until summer
Liverpool have secured Jeremy Jacquet’s future, but the move has been structured to begin on July 1 rather than immediately.
That means the France Under-21 international, who wears squad number 97 for Rennes, will complete the current Ligue 1 season in France.
Liverpool have already confirmed the outline of the agreement, stating that Jacquet will join ahead of the 2026–27 campaign subject to work permit and international clearance.
The defender has made 18 Ligue 1 appearances this season and has been trusted as a regular starter in a difficult Rennes side.
According to Sofascore, Jeremy Jacquet is averaging 89 minutes per match with a pass accuracy of 91% and winning 76% of his aerial duels.
Those numbers help explain why Liverpool were willing to move early to secure him rather than risk a summer bidding war.
There has still been debate around the fee, with some scepticism in France about whether the price reflects Jacquet’s experience.
Former France international Christophe Dugarry said: “This isn’t meant to offend the player – honestly, he’s not to blame at all – and we wish him all the best because he’s a good player.
“When you have suckers like that… Well done to Rennes.”
Dugarry also warned about the pressure Jacquet could face.
He added: “Even for poor little Jacquet, this transfer is going to put a lot of pressure on him. Even him, the poor kid, who is certainly a very good player, is going to arrive with a pall of pressure.”
Liverpool planning for the next defensive cycle
From Liverpool’s point of view, the timing of the deal fits a wider pattern of planning for the future rather than reacting late in windows.
Virgil van Dijk is now 34, Ibou Konate’s contract runs down at the end of the season, and both Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley have struggled with injuries.
Jeremie Frimpong has also missed time, forcing players such as Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai to cover defensive areas.
That context helps explain why Liverpool were prepared to secure Jacquet early, even if he will not arrive until the summer.
There is optimism about what the 20-year-old French defender could become.
Julien Laurens wrote on X: “I can’t stress enough what a superb signing Jeremy Jacquet will be for Liverpool! He is a special talent and has everything to become one of the best defenders in the world.”
Laurens also highlighted Jacquet’s background.
He added: “And he is Paris born and bred too which makes him even more special! #ValDeMarneEnForce.”
For now, Jeremy Jacquet remains a Rennes player in both legal and sporting terms.
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