Why Jérémy Jacquet Could Be Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk Successor
Jérémy Jacquet represents a significant investment for Liverpool, with the Premier League club securing the young French defender for a substantial £60 million fee. At just 20 years old, Jacquet has already demonstrated remarkable resilience and talent, overcoming significant physical challenges to emerge as one of Europe's most promising defensive prospects.
Overcoming Physical Setbacks
The defender's journey to Anfield has been anything but straightforward. During his teenage years, Jacquet experienced rapid growth that saw him add 10 centimetres to his height within a single year. This physical development came with complications, including growth-related injuries such as Osgood-Schlatter disease that kept him sidelined for eighteen months.
Laurent Viaud, his former under-19s manager at Rennes, recalls this challenging period: "For Jérém, it was growth injuries. You know you're going to lose time." The young defender required surgery to remove cartilage fragments, but rather than discouraging him, this extended absence from football created what Viaud describes as "fresh momentum" upon his return.
Technical Excellence and Development
What makes Jacquet particularly intriguing is his technical quality, which remained intact despite his physical transformation. Viaud notes that when young players experience significant growth, "their bodies change, they may become less coordinated – that's where you have a doubt." However, Jacquet defied these expectations, maintaining what his former manager describes as "speed, aggression, a strong heading game, and above all, technical quality."
Interestingly, Jacquet initially developed his skills as a midfielder, taking inspiration from Paul Pogba during his formative years. "I always wanted to play like him," Jacquet told L'Équipe, and this midfield background continues to influence his playing style. His coaches eventually persuaded him to move deeper into defence, a transition that has proven remarkably successful.
The Loan Spell That Transformed His Career
A crucial turning point came with his loan move to Clermont Foot in Ligue 2, which Jacquet himself describes as where his career "started." Viaud observes that "it's off the pitch where we saw the difference" between the player who left Rennes and the one who returned. The experience exposed Jacquet to different training conditions and professional environments, accelerating his development.
His performances proved so impressive that Rennes paid nearly €1 million to recall him early from his loan last February, making him the 17th-most expensive departure in Clermont's history. Despite significant competition from new signings Anthony Rouault and Lilian Brassier, who arrived for a combined €25 million, Jacquet became indispensable to Rennes' defence.
The Complete Defender Package
This season has seen Jacquet establish himself as a consistent presence in Rennes' back line, missing only two games through suspension. Playing alongside Moroccan teenager Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal has given him greater responsibility, with Jacquet acknowledging: "I have to be more of a presence in the dressing room and on the pitch."
Viaud offers a compelling comparison for the young defender's abilities: "I was from the generation of Marcel Desailly – I was at school with him. Jérém is Desailly on the defensive side and Laurent Blanc on the attacking side; he's a mix of the two." This combination of defensive solidity and creative passing ability makes Jacquet what his former manager describes as a "complete" defender.
The Van Dijk Comparison
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Jacquet's potential is the comparison with Liverpool's defensive stalwart Virgil van Dijk. Viaud, who previously worked as a scout for Liverpool during Rafael Benítez's tenure, sees clear similarities: "I think the recruiters have seen in Jérém the heir to Van Dijk because in a lot of areas Jérém looks like him."
The French coach goes even further, suggesting Jacquet might possess greater physical attributes: "I would almost say he is faster than Van Dijk. He has to learn from players like Van Dijk, but there is a lot of similarity between the two." Jacquet himself has cited both Van Dijk and his centre-back partner Ibrahima Konaté as inspirations, suggesting he's well aware of the standards expected at Anfield.
Record-Breaking Transfer
Jacquet's move to Liverpool makes him Rennes' record sale, surpassing even the transfers of Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué. This represents remarkable progress for a player who, just over a year ago, was playing in France's second division. Viaud believes any scout who failed to recognise Jacquet's potential would be guilty of "professional misconduct," such is the defender's obvious talent.
While acknowledging there are still areas for improvement – Jacquet admits he can be "nonchalant" at times – his former manager believes the young defender's confidence and ambition will serve him well in the Premier League. "When you see the careers Desailly and Blanc had," Viaud reflects, "honestly, I can't imagine how far Jérém can go. He can really define his generation of defenders."
As Liverpool prepare to integrate their new defensive signing, they appear to have secured not just a talented young player, but potentially the long-term successor to one of the Premier League's greatest modern defenders. Jacquet's journey from injury setbacks to record-breaking transfer demonstrates both his resilience and his exceptional potential.
