Jérémy Jacquet completed a high-profile transfer to Liverpool and earned his first senior cap for France, anchoring the defense in a 1-0 UEFA Nations League win over Belgium in Brussels. The 21-year-old center-back made the jump following an unexpected youth journey at Stade Rennais, overcoming physical growing pains and a lengthy injury layoff that initially left him trailing peers like Désiré Doué and Mathys Tel.
Elite clubs ignored Jacquet before he joined Rennes
Before establishing himself as a top-flight prospect, Jacquet endured a difficult youth development path. While contemporaries like Mathys Tel and Désiré Doué drew intense interest from elite clubs, the suitors were not rushing to recruit Jacquet before he joined Rennes.
Overcoming Growth Pains
Jacquet’s slender frame required careful physical management during his formative years at Rennes. Former academy director Landry Chauvin explained that the defender’s bones outpaced his musculature, necessitating a patient approach to build an adult physique. At 16-17 years old, when Désiré Doué and Mathys Tel were playing their first professional minutes, Jacquet spent nearly a year sidelined with injuries. Former academy staff praised his resilience, noting that once his body consolidated, his natural speed and tactical intelligence allowed him to catch up.
Anfield Impact and a Welcome
Jacquet moved to Liverpool in a deal valued at €70 million, a sum initially viewed as a gamble given his limited top-flight experience. According to James Pearce of The Athletic, skeptics questioned the investment in January, but the player quickly silenced doubters. Paul Joyce of The Times reported that during Jacquet’s home debut against Como in August, the Anfield kop chanted his name after just ten minutes of play—a reception Joyce noted was unusual, as it usually takes 10 years for the Liverpool public to chant a player’s name. Virgil van Dijk later presented him with a Player of the Match award following a 1-0 win at Bournemouth, with Pearce noting that the defender’s immediate impact at Anfield mirrored the arrival of Van Dijk himself.
International Debut Under Zinédine Zidane
Appointed to the starting lineup by France manager Zinédine Zidane alongside Maxence Lacroix, Jacquet neutralized Belgian striker Charles De Ketelaere during a 1-0 victory in Brussels. Speaking to TF1 after the match, the defender admitted he was not fully satisfied with his performance despite earning a clean sheet and helping secure three points in the UEFA Nations League. Zidane praised the youngster’s composure, stating he was not surprised by the defender’s display on his senior international debut.
How much did Liverpool pay for Jérémy Jacquet?
How much did Liverpool pay to sign Jérémy Jacquet?
Liverpool secured the defender from Stade Rennais for a reported fee of €70 million, an investment that analysts initially questioned due to his limited professional experience before he quickly won over the Anfield supporters.
Against which team did Jacquet make his senior debut for France?
Jacquet earned his first senior cap for France in a 1-0 UEFA Nations League victory against Belgium in Brussels, where he started alongside Maxence Lacroix in central defense.
Which youth players were considered ahead of Jacquet during their academy years?
During their development in the 2005 generation, players like Désiré Doué and Mathys Tel were identified as references in France while Jacquet dealt with growth-related injuries.
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