Liverpool step up bid to hijack Chelsea move for star in record deal

Liverpool and Rennes are advancing in talks over the signing of defender Jeremy Jacquet in a potential £60million deal, talkSPORT understands.

However, the Reds aim to sign Jacquet for the summer rather than in the current transfer window.

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The Reds’ emergence in the Jacquet sweepstakes increases the pressure on Chelsea, who already agreed personal terms with the Rennes centre-back earlier in January.

Rennes are adamant that Jacquet won’t leave before deadline day on Monday but are open to a summer sale.

And Liverpool are now prepared to push for Jacquet in the off-season as they consider their centre-back options.

Rennes are demanding a club-record sale in order to cash in on the youngster, trumping the £52m they received from Manchester City for winger Jeremy Doku in 2023.

And talkSPORT understands Liverpool are prepared to grant Rennes their wish with talks over an initial £55m deal, with a further £5m add-ons gathering pace.

Liverpool’s centre-back issues

Liverpool are in the market for a new centre-back having missed out on Marc Guehi last summer.

The Reds agreed a fee with Crystal Palace for the centre-back but were left frustrated as the Eagles pulled the plug on the deal at the 11th hour on deadline day in September having failed to sign a replacement.

The Merseyside giants did sign teenager Giovanni Leoni, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Southampton earlier in the season.

Arne Slot’s side were again linked with a move for Guehi this month but missed out on the 25-year-old to rivals Manchester City.

Chelsea, too, had identified the defence as an area in need of improvement last summer after Levi Colwill suffered an ACL injury of his own on the eve of the season.

Chelsea’s defensive blues

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Enzo Maresca hoped that the club to bring in a new centre-back to ease the England international’s absence.

The Italian’s replacement at Stamford Bridge, Liam Rosenior, also pushed for the club to bring in another defender, with Jacquet a top target.

Chelsea, though, have been left frustrated in their push to sign Jacquet, and elected to recall young Argentine defender Aaron Anselmino from his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund as a result.

The west London side are also weighing up whether to terminate Mamadou Sarr’s loan at Strasbourg.

Sarr, who was part of the Senegal squad that won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, impressed under Rosenior during their respective time together for the French side.

However, the 20-year-old’s return to Stamford Bridge is dependant on Strasbourg signing a replacement for Sarr before deadline day.

Chelsea had hoped to send Anselmino to Strasbourg, which would see Sarr return to London, but the former’s reluctance to move to France is complicating the deal.