According to The Athletic, former Rennes technical director Florian Morris recounted the story of Jeremy Jacquet's development, noting that the French centre-back was considered a top player early on and Liverpool saw him as the future of their defense.
“When I was on the field with him, he was very disappointed because he wasn’t on the roster,” Maurice told The Athletic. “I remember that conversation very clearly. I told him to be patient because his chance would come. I knew that would happen.”
Jacquet is seen as Liverpool's young center-back and the future of the defense.
In January, Fenway Sports Group approved a £60 million ($81 million) deal to bring the 21-year-old to Liverpool. While he will be given time to adapt to the role, especially after missing the final three months of the season with a shoulder injury and recent weeks with a minor knee injury, there are still hopes that he can be part of the club's new era of transformation.
After resuming full training last week, Jacquet made a brilliant debut in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Como on Sunday, bringing a sigh of relief and high expectations to Anfield. He played the full 45 minutes and scored a goal, becoming one of the most anticipated highlights of the preseason.
Those who have worked with him understand why this French U21 international is so highly regarded. This strong, aggressive defender, who also possesses the ability to advance and pass the ball, has many strengths.
Maurice recalled that when he first arrived in Rennes, he saw 16-year-old Jacquet and felt that he "possessed all the qualities needed for success." His characteristics then were almost the same as they are today.
“He wasn’t as strong back then, but he was tall and fast, which are great qualities for a center-back,” Maurice continued. “The difference was his ability to play the ball out from the back. He was very calm and composed. He was good at defending, but he was exceptionally good when he had the ball.”
“When you’re young and playing so well, you don’t always push yourself as hard in training,” Maurice explained. “Sometimes you feel like you’ve got it all, but that’s not the case. He gradually came to understand what a professional career really requires.”
One of his inspirations was Eduardo Camavinga. The two are two years apart in age, and Camavinga is also a success story from Rennes' youth academy. Although they never played together in the first team, Camavinga joined Real Madrid in 2021 at the age of 16 years, 4 months, and 27 days, becoming Rennes' youngest ever player to appear in a match. He was considered the most dazzling representative of that youth system, and his diligence, politeness, and maturity beyond his years left a profound impact.
Morris said, "Camavinga is very meticulous and focused in every training session. We tell this to the other players, and it helps them develop."
Jacquet has benefited from this, and now everyone's eyes are on the next step.
“I think training with Van Dijk every day will be very important and will help him reach the next level,” Morris said.
Liverpool captain Jacquet has only one year left on his contract, and he has long regarded him as a role model. The two are very likely to start the new Premier League season as a starting center-back pairing.
However, patience is still essential, because Jacquet has experienced a lot at a young age, and even considered giving up football before his professional career began.
Jacquet grew up on the Île-de-France region of Greater Paris, a footballing hotbed known for its talented players. In the suburbs of "Suburbs de France," players from diverse communities develop through hundreds of local clubs. Mbappe hails from Bondy in the northeast, where his French teammates Saliba and Mouani were also born. Jacquet grew up in Melun, southeast of Paris, and his current replacement for Konaté at Liverpool also began his career in the French capital.
According to Opta, 55 out of 1,248 players in the World Cup are from this region, accounting for 23% of the French team's squad.
Every player from Paris and the surrounding area has their own story, whether it's playing on a concrete pitch, a cage pitch, or on the street. Jacquet's journey began at AS Bois-Abbey Notre-Dame Community Club, a small community team where scouts often went to watch players.
The player's mother is a nurse and his father a school administrator. The values instilled in him by his parents and older brother were crucial in developing his strong professional attitude. Those who have spoken with his inner circle say that his divorced parents and brother remain important to this day, as does his trusted agent, Michael Manuelo. According to sources, it is Manuelo who has consistently and carefully supported his development.
Jacquet could have played in midfield. His current passing ability and confidence on the ball come from his experience playing in a more advanced position when he was younger. When he joined RC Jeanville at the age of 8, he idolized Pogba and hoped to one day follow in the footsteps of the World Cup champion.
Although quiet and polite off the field, RC Jenville's technical director Bruno Sampaio described him as "a natural force" on the field.
“He already had many strengths when he was with us,” Sampaio said of his six years coaching RC Jeanville, a club that didn’t have a senior team and focused on developing players aged 6 to 18.
"His technique is excellent, and most importantly, he plays very intelligently. He has excellent vision, understands situations very quickly, and can control the game in midfield."
“He was tall and slender at that time, and his physical development was faster than many boys his age, but rapid growth also brought him some trouble. Because his body was changing too fast, he was often injured.”
Sampaio said that when playing for the under-12 team, Jacquet was very frustrated by these setbacks. When the coach talked to him about the problems, he even cried and said that he wanted to give up football completely.
The next day, he stepped on the ball again and returned to the training field. Sampaio added with a smile, "Looking back on this experience, all you can say is 'wow'."
When Rennes brought Jacquet to the attention of Wer at RC, they intended to develop him into a center-back. Observers quickly discovered that he already possessed many qualities suitable for the position: excellent game reading ability, frequent ball recovery, and very clean passing from the back.
But his early career wasn't smooth sailing. A rapid growth spurt led to a series of injuries, including back, heel, and knee problems, eventually requiring surgery. "I probably only played 10 games a year," he told L'Équipe, "but that made me stronger. Once I finally started playing regularly in the reserves, everything fell into place."
Former Rennes reserve team coach William Stanger said that for a player like Jacquet, who "has to think all of this through first," the struggle with injuries is tough.
Once he truly adapted to the physical changes and understood the demands of a professional player, Stenger said there was no turning back. "He's a good lad who wants to train hard every day and keep improving. I really like the way he reads the game; to me, that's his best quality."
In January 2024, he joined Clermont on loan to seek consistent playing time, a move that paid off. Even though the team was ultimately relegated from Ligue 1, it didn't hinder his development. When he started his second season, Rennes recalled him early.
Former Clermont president Ahmet Schäfer said Jacquet's influence was enormous. "He was incredibly determined and rigorous in training," Schäfer told The Athletic. "You could always see that pure focus, that hunger, that determination to shut out the opponent in his eyes. His speed and physicality were a huge asset on the field, but he was also very mature; we were all thinking, 'Is he really only 18?'"
When Schäfer reluctantly granted him permission to leave before his loan expired, Clermont fans, who were struggling with a double relegation battle, criticized him.
But Schäfer didn't let him leave for nothing, and the two sides engaged in additional negotiations. Besides securing compensation for early termination of the loan, he insisted on including other clauses in the contract, including a small percentage of any future transfer fees, even though the player was never officially bought out by Clermont. Rennes declined to comment when asked about this clause by The Athletic.
“It was obvious he wasn’t the right fit for our film,” Schäfer recalled. “His level was beyond our salary bracket. Our coach explained the plan, saying we would give him a full run before sending him back to a higher level. But to be honest, we all felt like we got a great deal.”
Jacquet's performances for Clermont have attracted the attention of Liverpool and other Premier League clubs, including Chelsea. He also garnered attention at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Northern Ireland in July 2024, when France lost to Spain in the final.
The personality assessment also gave him high marks. Schäfer added, "He is very humble. He has no arrogance at all, and every coach would want a team full of players like that. I think he has the potential to become the best defender in France."
Everything that follows will largely depend on how quickly he can adapt to life in Merseyside. The only other centre-back to join the Premier League for a similar fee and who is younger than him is Leni Joro, who joined Manchester United from Lille in July 2024 for £59 million.
Among Liverpool's defenders, only Van Dijk's transfer fee was higher than Jacquet's; when Van Dijk joined from Southampton, he was a plug-and-play signing.
It would be a remarkable achievement for Liverpool to find a long-term replacement who is close in ability to the Dutchman. But the club believes they have maximized their chances of success. Jacquet's debut will only reinforce that feeling.
Former Clermont chairman Schäfer said, "Liverpool bought not only athletic ability, but also character." He also recalled his last conversation with Jacquet in Rennes.
“He came up to my table and said to me to come see me at Anfield. I hope to see him play well there because I think he has great potential. He can become a complete player.”
