Liverpool won a race against Chelsea to secure the £60million signing of Jeremy Jacquet on deadline day, but the deal has failed to impress a former French international who has accused the Reds of ‘losing their minds’.
Jacquet completed his medical on Monday, with Liverpool confirming he will move to Anfield on July 1.
The deal is worth £55m guaranteed with potential add ons up to £5m. Jacquet is understood to have agreed a five-year contract with the option for a further year.
Jacquet was subject of longstanding and significant interest from Chelsea and other major European clubs.
The 20-year-old had been on loan in the French second tier 12 months ago, before Rennes recalled him and made the defender a part of their first team line-up.
Jacquet has now made a total of 36 appearances in Ligue 1 and will add more as he completes the season with Rennes.
Liverpool have been labelled ‘suckers’ who have ‘lost their minds’ after spending £60m on Rennes centre back Jeremy Jacquet
Former France star Christophe Dugarry hit out at the excessive fee agreed for the centre back
Despite acknowledging Jacquet’s ability, former French forward Christophe Duggary has labelled Liverpool as ‘suckers’ for agreeing to pay £60million for the defender.
‘This isn’t meant to offend the player; honestly, he’s not to blame at all, and we wish him all the best because he’s a good player. When you have suckers like that, well done to Rennes,’ Duggary told RMC Sport.
‘Rennes managed to find a sucker like Liverpool for 72 million euros.’
The 1998 World Cup winner doubled down after it was highlighted that Man United had paid £52m for Leny Yoro back in the summer of 2024.
‘Very well, but look at the result,’ Duggary stated. ‘Let them continue, all these English clubs, sending tens of millions of euros.
‘This isn’t just a two-tiered football situation anymore, it’s a football that’s lost its mind. Let’s stop trying to pretend there’s a justification for it. There’s no justification whatsoever.
‘And even for poor little Jacquet, this transfer is going to put a lot of pressure on him. Even him, the poor kid, who is certainly a very good player, is going to arrive with a pall of pressure.
‘His performances will be viewed differently, even though he doesn’t deserve it. Those of us who know football, let’s not try to justify this amount by saying it’s because Liverpool has money or whatever. It’s meaningless.
‘I don’t know what’s going on, it’s ridiculous. No, it’s not supply and demand. It’s ridiculous, it’s ridiculous.’
Jacquet had been pursued by Chelsea but Liverpool won the race for the rising French star
Despite Duggary’s protestations over the figures involved in the deal, Jacquet had attracted interest from across Europe due to his status as an outstanding central defensive prospect.
Liverpool accelerated their own long-term interest accelerated over the weekend.
Jacquet had his heart on a move to Liverpool determining that they also offered a better career pathway than Chelsea.
The move came with Liverpool seeking to prepare for the future, with Virgil van Dijk turning 35 in July and doubts over Ibrahima Konate’s future with the Frenchman contract currently expiring in the summer.
Liverpool signed Italian youngster Giovanni Leoni for £26million in the summer, but the 18-year-old is currently recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained on his debut.
