BBC Sport profiled Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet on Wednesday after his early-season performances for the club. Liverpool beat Brighton on Sunday and recorded their fourth clean sheet of the season, after which Jacquet posted on Instagram with lyrics including "Trust in the process, trust in the plan" alongside images from the game.
Starts and numbers
Jacquet is 21 years old. Since arriving at Anfield, he has started every game in the Premier League and Champions League. He has played 956 minutes this season, more than any Liverpool player except Alisson on 990. Jacquet has four clean sheets in the Premier League. BBC Sport said Jacquet ranks fourth in the top flight for interceptions, 15, and fourth in blocks with 10, and has made more tackles, 19, than any of his Liverpool team-mates.
How the move happened
BBC Sport said Jacquet joined Liverpool in a deal worth £60m over the summer. BBC Sport said Liverpool were alerted to Jacquet while pursuing Leny Yoro in 2024, when Jacquet was playing for Rennes, and Yoro moved to Manchester United from Lille. On Sunday afternoon, Yoro made an error as Manchester United lost to Bournemouth, while Jacquet played against Brighton. After Ibrahima Konate left for Real Madrid, Liverpool had a space to fill at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk. BBC Sport said Chelsea were keen on Jacquet and he was rated highly internally at Stamford Bridge, but he chose Liverpool. BBC Sport said Liverpool missed out on Marc Guehi last summer, and said Rennes were unwilling to sanction a move for Jacquet in January.
Injuries and early appearances
Jacquet sustained a broken shoulder in February and then had a knee problem over the summer. He did not play on Liverpool's summer tour to the United States. He made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Como and scored at Anfield a week before the Premier League started. Jacquet started at Newcastle, and in the first half there he made more accurate passes and successful final-third passes than any other player. Liverpool lost to Manchester City.
Praise and life at Anfield
Jacquet received a France call-up under Zinedine Zidane and then made his debut. Zidane said of Jacquet's performance against Italy: "Very good. Very, very good. Brave. He wasn't afraid to come out a long way. Very good in the duels. He was, once again, very good. I said it four times."
On deadline day in January, journalist Julien Laurens told BBC Sport: "It's a lot of money but Jacquet has everything to become one of the best centre-backs in the world in the next few years. He is arguably the best centre-back of his generation."
Van Dijk said his relationship with Jacquet is getting better every day they work together. Van Dijk said Jacquet is doing very well and is not at his ceiling yet. BBC Sport said Jacquet is part of a quartet at Anfield, alongside Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo, taking English lessons. BBC Sport said Jacquet lives in Liverpool and spends a lot of his time with fellow youngsters including Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni. BBC Sport said people at the AXA Training Centre describe Jacquet as mature and confident off the pitch. On Wednesday, Liverpool will welcome Xabi Alonso back to Anfield when Chelsea visit in the Carabao Cup.