Jacquet Shines as Liverpool Defender After Impressive Start to Season
Following Liverpool’s recent victory over Brighton, defender Jeremy Jacquet made headlines with his choice of song for an Instagram post. The lyrics, “Trust in the process, trust in the plan,” accompanied images from the match, reflecting the 21-year-old’s experience since joining Liverpool for £60 million during the summer.
Had Liverpool continued their pursuit of Leny Yoro in 2024, the situation may have played out differently. However, in the process of scouting Yoro, they discovered another talented French centre-back in Jacquet, who was playing for Rennes.
Yoro opted for a move to Manchester United from Lille and has the potential to become an elite defender. Yet, on Sunday afternoon, the contrasts between the two were evident as Yoro made a costly mistake in United’s loss to Bournemouth, while Jacquet delivered another solid performance against Brighton. His seamless adjustment to Liverpool’s style of play has impressed both fans and club officials alike.
Legendary Liverpool defender Alan Hansen observed Jacquet’s performance at Anfield, likely pleased with what he saw. Since his arrival, Jacquet has started every match in the Premier League and Champions League, logging 956 minutes on the pitch—second only to goalkeeper Alisson this season.
Jacquet’s transition to Liverpool is noteworthy, particularly since he spent much of the previous year recovering from injuries, including a broken shoulder and a knee problem. He did not participate in Liverpool’s summer tour to the United States, debuting in a pre-season match against Como, where he scored just a week before the Premier League kickoff.
With Ibrahima Konate’s departure to Real Madrid opening a spot, and Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni’s injury concerns, Jacquet seized the opportunity to showcase his talent at centre-back, starting the following game against Newcastle. The challenging environment at St James’ Park presented a tough debut; despite an early goal against Liverpool, Jacquet stood out with his accuracy in passing during the first half.
While the team faced defeat against Manchester City, Jacquet’s overall performance this season has been commendable. His handling of Brentford’s Igor Thiago was particularly impressive, and fans even drew comparisons to French legend Marcel Desailly based on his playing style.
With four clean sheets in the Premier League, Jacquet ranks among the league leaders for interceptions (15) and blocks (10), and he has completed more tackles (19) than any of his Liverpool teammates.
His impressive start has led to a call-up to the French national team under coach Zinedine Zidane, marking a significant achievement for the defender from Bondy, known as the home area of stars like Kylian Mbappe and William Saliba. Zidane praised Jacquet’s recent performance against Italy, commenting, “Very good. Very, very good. Brave. He wasn’t afraid to come out a long way. Very good in the duels.”
Chelsea’s Loss Proves Advantageous for Liverpool
As Liverpool prepares to welcome Xabi Alonso back to Anfield for a Carabao Cup match against Chelsea, it’s worth noting that Jacquet could have been playing for Chelsea had Liverpool not accelerated their efforts to sign him in January.
Considered highly by Chelsea, Jacquet chose Liverpool despite only having a limited number of appearances in Ligue 1. Liverpool had previously missed out on another player, Marc Guehi, and while they struggled last season, the club’s former sporting director Richard Hughes saw potential in Jacquet, even as Rennes resisted a January transfer.
On deadline day in January, journalist Julien Laurens remarked on BBC Sport that while Jacquet’s transfer fee was significant, he possesses the skills to become one of the best centre-backs in the world.
A few months into the new season, it appears Liverpool has indeed found a gem in Jacquet. Alongside teammates Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz, and Ronald Araujo, he is engaged in English lessons and is reportedly acclimatizing well. Jacquet resides in Liverpool and often spends time with fellow young players Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni. Those at the AXA Training Centre describe him as mature and confident, mirroring his on-field demeanor.
Having experienced players like Virgil van Dijk and Ronald Araujo supporting him on the field has certainly benefited Jacquet. Despite initial concerns about his fitness early in the season, there are no such doubts now.
Van Dijk commented on their developing partnership, stating, “Our relationship is good. It’s getting better every day that we work together. It takes games and also training sessions and conversations off the pitch. He’s doing very well. Let’s see where the ceiling will be. I don’t think he’s there yet, so let’s keep going.”
