Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes the £60m signing of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes offers a hint about the club’s summer transfer plans
Jamie Carragher has given his verdict on Liverpool’s move for Jeremy Jacquet(Image: (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images))
Liverpool confirmed an agreement for the summer signing of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes on Monday, with the deal understood to be worth £60 million including add-ons. As a result, Reds legend Jamie Carragher believes the move could provide clues about Liverpool’s future transfer plans when the next window opens.
Carragher has suggested that further changes to Arne Slot’s squad will be necessary to bolster depth in crucial positions, particularly at centre-back.
“When you look at stylistically what Jeremy Jacquet is, it tells me Ibrahima Konate is not signing (a new contract),” said Carragher on Monday Night Football for Sky Sports.
“I think Liverpool are going to go and buy a proper centre-back in the summer, who I would imagine will play alongside Virgil van Dijk, and then you’ve got two really good young centre-backs.
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“They still need to play, but one of them – Giovanni Leoni – is coming back after an ACL, so it is not going to be an easy season for him next season.
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“Van Dijk is going to be on the back of a World Cup, and he’s going to be 12 months older.
“So, if Konate doesn’t sign, they sign another player to replace Konate — a top-of-the-range centre-back to play right now — and you’ve got these two as back-up. I still think they’ll get plenty of games.”
Liverpool had previously agreed a £35m deal with Crystal Palace to sign Marc Guehi in the summer, only for that transfer to fall through at the final hurdle. Guehi subsequently joined Manchester City last month.
“The situation with Guehi changed, for me,” Carragher said. “In the summer, Guehi was being brought in to provide competition for Konate — not necessarily take his place right away.
Jeremy Jacquet is on his way to Liverpool after Arne Slot’s side agreed a deal with Rennes (Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
“It’s got to the stage with Konate this season where if you’re buying someone, it is to replace him now. Maybe he is not going to sign, and maybe he is not the same player.
“I look at Guehi and I worry about his height. The make-up of the Liverpool team — Wirtz, Mac Allister, Kerkez, Frimpong — and then you bring in a center-back who is not the biggest… for me, Liverpool had to go and buy a giant.
“Jacquet definitely is that. The one they bring in during the summer I hope also has that.”
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