As we transfer in the direction of switch deadline day this winter, some Liverpool followers may replicate on how the final deadline day performed out.
Whereas the Reds secured a deal to deliver Alexander Isak to the membership, they infamously missed out on Marc Guehi regardless of allegedly having agreed a deal.
Crystal Palace pulled the plug on a transfer after failing to safe a substitute, and 6 months later, he is now a Manchester Metropolis participant. It is humorous how briskly issues change in soccer, is not it?
Because it occurs, Liverpool are nonetheless on the hunt to signal their elusive centre-back and so they might deliver one in earlier than the window slams shut at 7pm on Monday night.
The most recent on Liverpool’s hunt for a brand new defender
Information broke on Sunday morning that Liverpool have been locked in talks to signal Lutsharel Geertruida from RB Leipzig. The Dutch defender is aware of Arne Slot properly and was the Dutchman’s captain throughout their time collectively at Feyenoord.
That stated, it is a transfer that sadly not seems as if it’s going to progress. Fabrizio Romano reviews that discussions came about during the last 24 hours, however an settlement couldn’t be reached. In consequence, the deal is now off.
Whereas that might have been a short-term repair for Liverpool’s defensive issues, they’re wanting longer-term too.
That is in line with Fabrizio Romano who delivered the most recent on their pursuit of Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet. The Frenchman has been the topic of fierce curiosity from Chelsea this winter and each events are in talks to amass the 20-year-old.
Talking on his YouTube channel on Sunday, Romano stated: “Liverpool are in conversations for Jeremy Jacquet, in a battle with Chelsea. They’re battling on each single million and each single element of the participant.
“They’re speaking to Rennes and speaking to the participant. However, Rennes won’t promote this participant within the window, it is for the summer time, it is for season 2026/27. Liverpool and Chelsea are attempting in each technique to persuade the participant and get the inexperienced gentle.”
Earlier reviews have indicated it’s prone to take greater than £60m to prise him away from France this summer time.
Why Jacquet must be Liverpool’s dream signing
If Liverpool might have secured a deal for Geertruida between now and Monday’s deadline, it could be a really sensible pick-up.
This can be a participant who possesses huge versatility, boasting the power not simply to play as a central defender the place he might cowl for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, but additionally as a right-back the place he’d assist fill the void left behind by the injured Conor Bradley.
Not solely that, however the Dutchman also can play in midfield, one thing that provides an additional stage of enchantment to the deal.
That being stated, he is not Jacquet. Within the phrases of Como scout Ben Mattinson, the younger Frenchman has “top-five centre-back on the planet potential” and is “world soccer’s subsequent extremely coveted centre-back”, which fairly says all of it.
Born in the identical area of France as William Saliba, Bondy, comparisons are already beginning to emerge between the 2, and it is simple to see why.
Jacquet made his breakthrough in Ligue 1 at a very younger age and is just going from power to power in his homeland. So, what makes him so good?
Nicely, he performs with a sure maturity past his years and has that very same easy strategy to defending that Saliba does at Arsenal.
Couple that along with his lengthy legs and it is simple to see why he is not simply distinctive within the deal with but additionally has sturdy restoration tempo to get again at attackers heading in the direction of purpose.
His knowledge from Ligue 1 additional pinpoints simply how good this younger defender is.
|
Jacquet vs Van Dijk in 2025/26 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 minutes) |
Jacquet |
Van Dijk |
|
Move accuracy |
90.52% |
90.02% |
|
Take-ons accomplished |
0.3 |
0.1 |
|
Tackles made |
1.5 |
0.7 |
|
Aerial duels received |
2.1 |
5 |
|
Aerial duel success |
75.5% |
77.27% |
|
Floor duels received |
2.5 |
1.3 |
|
Floor duel success |
61.43% |
74.36% |
|
Interceptions |
1.1 |
0.7 |
|
Ball recoveries |
4.3 |
2.2 |
Certainly, when in comparison with positionally comparable gamers within the French top-flight this time period, Jacquet ranks within the high 6% for duels received per 90 minutes. He is notably imperious within the air, successful 75.5% of his aerial duels, a statistic that ranks him among the many finest 7% of centre-backs in France and practically places him on the identical pedastal as the nice Van Dijk.
Very like Liverpool’s skipper, he is additionally extremely troublesome to get previous. He is been dribbled previous simply 0.11 instances per 90 minutes this season, that means he ranks among the many high 20% of centre-backs in Ligue 1 for that metric.
As Mattinson has alluded to, that is an elite-level centre-back within the making and whereas Geertruida represented a wise short-term answer, Jacquet is somebody who might dwell on the coronary heart of this Liverpool backline for years to come back.
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