Chelsea told to sign Liverpool star over £67m transfer target who will ‘go to the top’

Jan 20, 2026 - 19:00

Chelsea have been told the two Premier League defenders they should have signed amid their interest in top target, Jeremy Jacquet.

The Blues are optimistic of bolstering their options at the back, but negotiations with Rennes over their first choice have proved tough.

Chelsea have to pay big to land France Under-21 international

Jacquet has informed Rennes he would like to join Chelsea this winter, but the Ligue 1 side wants a record sale to sanction an exit.

Any deal for the 20-year-old, who is regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting young players, would need to surpass the £55million that the club earned from Jeremy Doku’s 2023 move to Manchester City.

Ironically, Pep Guardiola‘s side have already strengthened in central defence this January, by signing former Chelsea starlet, Marc Guehi.

And talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent, Alex Crook, is baffled as to why Stamford Bridge chiefs didn’t eye a potential homecoming.

Chelsea told to sign Konate from Liverpool

Chelsea, who made an enquiry for Virgil van Dijk in March last year, before the Dutchman signed a new two-year contract with Liverpool, were also urged to turn their attentions to fellow Reds defender Ibrahima Konate, who will become a free agent this summer as it stands.

Crook told talkSPORT Breakfast: “If they’re going to spend £60million on a defender, why don’t they go and get Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool?

“Someone who’s tried and trusted in the Premier League, because that’s what they really need.

“Why weren’t they in the conversation for one of their former players, Marc Guehi?”

Ibrahima Konate has made no progress on a new Liverpool contract

Marc Guehi during a Crystal Palace game — Guehi has now joined Man City from Palace

‘Brief from upstairs’

Fans concurred on talkSPORT’s Inside Chelsea when discussing the club’s move for Jacquet, with Matisse Armani saying: “We know that this team doesn’t need another young, inexperienced player to come into an already shaky back line and manage it and marshal it.

“That is a lot of pressure to put on him and his shoulders.”

“It’s not like we have a Thiago Silva or someone, you’re coming alongside that,” he continued.

“You’re coming alongside [Wesley] Fofana, inconsistent, injury-prone. [Trevoh] Chalobah, Tosin [Adarabioyo], [Benoit] Badiashile. This is not an environment to bring him into.”

Jason Cundy added: “The brief must be from upstairs.

Rosenior already has several young French defenders among his defensive options

“I mean, [Paul] Winstanley and [Laurence] Stewart [Chelsea’s joint Co-Sporting Directors], certainly on social media, certain fans have got a huge amount of criticism.

“My instincts are that they’re being told, this is the profile of player we want to sign. Go and get the best 19- to 20-year-old players that you can find in this position.”

Chelsea view Jacquet as the perfect blend of youth and talent, while being capable of slotting straight into Liam Rosenior’s side.

“He’s totally in the zone of what Chelsea want,” European football expert Andy Brassell explained to talkSPORT.com.

Rennes remain keen to hold onto Jacquet this month, who has a contract that runs until 2029

“He’s physically imposing, incredibly athletic, has improved on the ball a lot in the last year and a half as well, since his loan at Clermont.

“What Rennes are asking for is a lot. They’ve already rejected one 50 million euro offer.

“They’re looking for about 80, it seems. So that’s what, about £67-68 million. This is where big Premier League clubs are at now.

“They would rather bid and pay for players at the top level who have a really long future at the top level, who they feel that they can mould into something.

“So maybe players who are not there yet, but you can see the players they’re going to be, rather than the players they actually are at the moment.”

Rosenior will be acutely aware of his potential from his time in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg

As previously reported, Jacquet has informed Rennes he wishes to join Chelsea, but such action is unlikely to shake the French side.

“They’re a wealthy club, they’re well-backed,” Brassell continued. “And I don’t think whatever fuss the player kicks up is really going to make a massive difference there.

“But he comes out of a generation of very, very good Rennes players as well. We’re talking about not just an exceptional academy, but an exceptional generation. So there is a real feeling that he’ll go all the way to the top.”

One of those included Jacquet’s former teammate, Jeanuël Belocian, who has played 90 minutes in the Bundesliga just once this season.

Brassell added to talkSPORT: “Belocian’s gone to Bayer Leverkusen, played very well in bits, had a couple of bad injuries as well.

“Staying at Rennes and learning your trade is not the worst thing in the world.”