The race for highly rated Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet remains wide open, with Liverpool and Chelsea both continuing talks with the Ligue 1 club and the player’s representatives.
SoftFootball understands that discussions are progressing steadily, following earlier reports that Chelsea had already made headway on personal terms with the defender, as detailed in this SoftFootball report on Chelsea’s negotiations with Jacquet.
Despite the growing interest as shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, there is clarity on one key point: any potential move will only happen in July 2026, with Rennes determined to keep the player for the remainder of the season.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
The battle for Jeremy Jacquet remains very much ongoing at this stage.
Understand Liverpool and Chelsea are both in talks with Rennes and player’s camp for the defender. Bayern unlikely.
Jacquet would only join in July 2026, as Rennes want.
Chelsea are currently viewed as holding a slight edge in the contest. Sources close to the situation indicate that Jacquet is open to a move to Stamford Bridge, a development that has encouraged the Blues to intensify talks.
SoftFootball previously highlighted how Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern were all monitoring the defender closely, but momentum has increasingly shifted toward a Premier League duel, as outlined in this SoftFootball transfer update. Chelsea’s project and pathway for young defenders are believed to be central to their appeal.
Liverpool, however, are far from stepping away. The Reds remain in active discussions with Rennes and Jacquet’s camp, seeing the 20-year-old as a long-term solution in defence. With injuries leaving Virgil van Dijk as the only consistently available senior centre-back, Liverpool view Jacquet as a strategic signing rather than a short-term fix.
Club officials are working to keep pace with Chelsea’s advances, fully aware that the defender will not be available until next summer. Bayern Munich, who were initially linked with the Rennes defender, are now considered unlikely to push aggressively for a deal.
While the Bundesliga giants continue to track Jacquet’s development, they are not thought to be in concrete negotiations at this stage, leaving the Premier League pair as the main contenders.
Rennes remain calm throughout the process. The French club have made it clear they will not sanction a departure before July 2026, confident that Jacquet’s value will only rise. With a long-term contract in place, Rennes are prepared to wait, knowing Europe’s elite are lining up for one of Ligue 1’s most promising defenders.
