Liverpool have completed the signing of highly rated French defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes in a deal understood to be worth up to £60 million, underlining the club’s intent to refresh and reinforce their back line.

The France Under-21 international has agreed a five-year contract at Anfield, with an option for a further 12 months, after Liverpool struck an agreement with Rennes earlier in the year. The move is subject to international clearance but all formalities are expected to be a formality for a player long tracked by the club’s recruitment team.

Jacquet, 20, arrives with a growing reputation as one of Ligue 1’s most promising centre-backs. A product of the Rennes academy, he made 33 senior appearances for the Breton club before spending last season on loan at Clermont, where his blend of composure in possession and aggressive front-foot defending drew attention from scouts across Europe.

The defender missed the closing weeks of the French campaign after suffering a shoulder injury in February, but Liverpool’s medical staff are confident he will be available from the start of pre-season. The club view him as a long-term investment who can be integrated gradually alongside established figures in the squad.

Speaking after completing the move, Jacquet described the transfer as a landmark moment in his young career. “I feel really good, the first impressions are good and I am very happy to start here. It’s a big dream for me,” he said, outlining his ambition to test himself in the Premier League and compete for major honours.

Liverpool’s interest in Jacquet fits a broader strategy of targeting emerging talent capable of developing into first-team regulars. His profile – tall, quick across the ground and comfortable stepping into midfield with the ball – aligns with the club’s preference for defenders who can operate in a high line and contribute to build-up play.

While competition for places in central defence will be fierce, Liverpool believe Jacquet’s ceiling is high enough to justify the sizeable fee. If his adaptation to English football matches the confidence shown in him by the club’s hierarchy, the Frenchman could become a central figure in the next phase of Liverpool’s evolution.