Jeremy Jacquet's Future with Liverpool: A New Era Begins
Jeremy Jacquet should be learning Anfield by feel, not by feed. At 20, a £60 million defender on his way from Rennes to the Premier League champions, he ought to be counting down the weeks to his debut, not the days since surgery.
Instead, his first close-up of Liverpool came not from the pitch, but from the stands in Paris.
A future Red in the Parc des Princes
Jacquet confirmed on social media that he was inside the Parc des Princes for Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Arne Slot’s side bossed long stretches of the tie in France, yet came away with what felt like a modest 2-0 win.
The young Frenchman watched his future teammates control a European giant, then leave the door open just enough to keep the second leg alive. It was a useful glimpse into the demands that await him: dominance is expected, ruthlessness required.
His post, a snapshot of his recent weeks, told its own story. Among the images were scenes from his rehab work in the pool and gym, plus a striking picture of him in Liverpool’s 2022/23 away kit. He is not a Liverpool player yet, at least not officially on the pitch, but the visual message was clear. He is already leaning into the new colours.
Surgery, setback and a delayed start
The operation that has stalled his momentum came in early March. The injury itself struck earlier, on February 7 against Lens, just days after Liverpool had confirmed his impending move.
Rennes laid out the timeline in a statement on March 3: Jacquet had been forced off with a left shoulder injury, medical checks followed, and surgery was booked. The French club wished him a speedy recovery; Liverpool, privately, will have done the same while recalibrating their plans.
The centre-back is not expected to play again this season. That means he will arrive on Merseyside still feeling his way back to full fitness, his first months at the club potentially shaped by how cleanly this recovery runs. For a young defender stepping into a title-winning dressing room, there will be no gentle introductions.
Slot’s defence in flux
Even before Jacquet’s deal was agreed, Arne Slot’s defensive puzzle looked complex. Ibrahima Konaté’s contract was running down towards a summer expiry, raising the prospect of a major hole opening up at the heart of the back line.
Recent reports now point towards an agreement over an extension being close, despite a difficult eight months for the 26-year-old. If that deal is finalised, Slot’s centre-back options will suddenly look more secure: Konaté as the established force, Jacquet as the high-ceiling arrival built for the long term.
Elsewhere, the change is more brutal. Two club icons, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, have already had their end-of-season exits confirmed. Liverpool are not edging into a new era; they are stepping into it at full speed.
Jacquet’s signing fits the pattern. He follows last summer’s wave of new-generation recruits: Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike. The spine of the next Liverpool is being assembled piece by piece, and the 20-year-old Frenchman is a central part of that plan.
Paris, Fulham and a looming second leg
Before any of that, there is a season to finish and a European tie to salvage. Liverpool’s immediate concern is the second leg against PSG at Anfield on Tuesday night, where they must overturn that two-goal deficit Jacquet watched unfold in France.
They warmed up with a controlled, morale-boosting 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday. Rio Ngumoha and Salah scored the goals, yet both had been unused substitutes in Paris. Slot now has decisions to make. Rested in the Parc des Princes, sharp at the weekend, those forwards have forced their way into the conversation.
Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo also delivered strong performances, adding to the manager’s selection dilemma. Liverpool will need every player at full tilt if they are to flip the quarter-final on its head.
Somewhere in the stands, or perhaps watching from a treatment room, Jeremy Jacquet will be studying every movement, every duel, every demand. His Liverpool story has not started on the grass yet.
But the club he is joining is changing in front of his eyes, and when his shoulder heals, he will be stepping into a team – and an era – that expects him to help shape what comes next.
