Liverpool decided against strengthening their current squad in the January transfer window. But, they finalized a deal worth around $82 million to permanently sign French center-back Jeremy Jacquet from Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennais in the upcoming summer.
Now, a European giant’s official has revealed that his club was also keen to sign Jacquet.
Club Official Confirms Interest in Liverpool-Bound Star
During an interaction with Sport1, Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl opened up on offering center-back Dayot Upamecano a new contract until June 2030 last week.
“It was clear from the beginning Dayot wanted to extend his contract. Then, it was simply a matter of finding solutions. And we succeeded. Of course, the extensions cost money. But it costs even more when we have to buy players of the quality of say, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, or Dayot Upamecano… if you can even find them,” Eberl commented.
Subsequently, Eberl namedropped Jacquet and confirmed Bayern Munich were keen to sign the defender before the reigning Premier League champions completed a future deal.
“For example, Jeremy Jacquet would have been a great player for us. But when we see that he’s going to Liverpool at the age of 19 for a reported 70 million euros, we have to consider what’s best for Bayern Munich. Our answer was to pursue Dayot’s contract extension as he knows the club, is in his prime, and is one of the best center-backs in the world. From both a sporting and financial perspective, it’s the right decision,” Eberl concluded.
Had Jacquet sealed a move to the Bavarians, he would have emerged as a rotational option for them. The 20-year-old ace would have received mentorship from Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, and Kim Min-jae had he joined the Bundesliga champions this summer.
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However, Jacquet is now set to grow by learning from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, who is considered one of the best center-backs in the world. In the meantime, the youngster is focused on recovering from the shoulder injury he sustained earlier this month.
Reds head coach Arne Slot has recently expressed concern about Jacquet’s shoulder injury, which could require surgery in the coming months. When he was asked if his side is unlucky this campaign, he responded, “It feels like that, that’s for sure. Even if we sign a player and he’s not even playing for us, he gets injured. Sometimes it feels like that.”
So far, Jacquet has registered one assist in 33 games across all competitions for Rennes.
