Liverpool's New Star Suffers Devastating Injury Blow as Return Date Remains Mystery
Jérémy Jacquet, the newest addition to Liverpool's squad after securing a winter transfer agreement with Rennes, will miss the remainder of the campaign due to an upcoming shoulder operation.
Instead of joining Liverpool immediately after the transfer completion on February 2nd—which could have been valuable considering the shortage of central defenders at Anfield—the decision was made for Jacquet to stay with his previous club Rennes on a temporary basis until his scheduled move to England in July.
Unfortunately, merely five days afterward, a shoulder problem sustained during a Ligue 1 fixture versus Lens has kept him out of action. Rennes have now announced their plans for Jacquet to undergo surgery.
A release from the French club on Tuesday stated: "During the match against Lens on February 7th, Jérémy Jacquet had to exit the game prematurely due to a left shoulder problem.
"After medical assessments, an operation has been arranged for the upcoming days. Stade Rennais F.C. extends wishes for his swift recovery."
When Will Jérémy Jacquet Recover?
When Will Jérémy Jacquet Recover?
Initial projections indicate up to 12 weeks for rehabilitation, which would sideline Jacquet until early June, when the 2025–26 campaign would be concluded. Even the more optimistic forecast of an eight-week recovery period might mean the defender being hurried back to fitness and could be deemed too risky. Overall, he may have already made his 33rd and last first-team appearance for Rennes.
For Liverpool, having Jacquet available on the opening day of preseason training sometime in late July is definitely achievable. Considering he likely won't have competed for over five months by that point, intensive preparation before the 2026–27 season will be essential for how the promising defender—who celebrates his 21st birthday on July 13—adjusts to his new opportunity in England.
What Role Will Jérémy Jacquet Have at Liverpool?
What Role Will Jérémy Jacquet Have at Liverpool?
Despite Liverpool agreeing to spend up to $79.7 million (£60 million) for Jacquet after less than a full season as a regular starter at Rennes, he is primarily viewed as a future replacement for Virgil van Dijk. However, the French defender might find himself rapidly thrust into action as early as the upcoming season. Much will depend on Ibrahima Konaté's situation.
Konaté's future remains unclear with his contract running down, as no extension with Liverpool has been finalized and persistent speculation continues linking him with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
Should Konaté leave as a free agent, it would leave Joe Gomez, who consistently battles fitness issues, Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, who will be returning from a lengthy ACL injury, as the main center-back options supporting van Dijk. Leoni, at 19, is younger than Jacquet and possesses even less professional experience.