Liverpool have confirmed they have signed Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet for £60million.
The 20-year-old completed his medical with the champions on Deadline Day and 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 due to his status as an outstanding central defensive prospect.
Chelsea offered the same deal as Liverpool but, from their perspective, the tone of talks changed when it became apparent that Mamadou Sarr would be returning to Stamford Bridge and Josh Acheampong was staying.
Liverpool’s own long-term interest accelerated over the weekend with the player having set his heart on a move to Liverpool determining that they also offered a better career pathway than Chelsea.
Liverpool have announced that they are set to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes in the summer
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are currently their only fit senior players in that position, with Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni injured.
Konate has still to agree on a new contract but talks are continuing.
As a result, the ensuing transfer negotiations for Jacquet were overseen and successfully concluded by sporting director Richard Hughes.
