Liverpool have formally completed the £60m signing of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, with the 20-year-old centre-back now fully recovered from shoulder surgery and set to participate in the club's pre-season programme starting later this month.
The Reds agreed the deal back in January, but Jacquet suffered a season-ending shoulder injury shortly after the transfer was agreed on deadline day. He has since undergone surgery and completed his rehabilitation, making him available immediately for new head coach Andoni Iraola.
Deal details and competition
Liverpool will pay an initial £55m for Jacquet, with a further £5m in performance-related add-ons. This makes him the second most expensive defender in the club's history, behind only Virgil van Dijk, who cost £75m from Southampton in January 2018.
The ECHO understands Jacquet has signed a five-year contract with the option of a sixth year. He will compete for minutes alongside Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni, and club captain Van Dijk, who is expected to join the summer tour of the United States after the Netherlands' early exit from the World Cup.
Liverpool fended off competition from several European clubs, most notably Chelsea, to secure Jacquet's signature. The young defender is reportedly eager to learn from two-time Premier League winner Van Dijk, who turns 35 this month.
Injury and recovery
Jacquet injured his shoulder in early February during Rennes' 3-1 defeat to Lens, falling awkwardly in the second half and leaving the pitch in obvious discomfort. Surgery was confirmed a few weeks later, and he has since been working on an individually-tailored training plan during his summer break, ahead of his arrival at the AXA Training Centre.
Jacquet joins 11 months after 19-year-old Leoni was signed for just under £30m from Parma. Liverpool believe they have secured the two best young defenders from France and Italy.
Leoni injury update
It remains unclear how far Leoni is from returning from the ACL injury he sustained on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup last September. However, the young Italian has been back in the gym at the AXA Centre for some time, and an update is expected this month from Iraola.
Konate departure
Jacquet joins Liverpool on the same day Real Madrid formally completed the signing of Ibrahima Konate as a free agent. The club had been in talks with Konate's representatives for nearly two years but failed to reach an agreement, allowing the France international to leave for nothing.
