Jeremy Jacquet: Why Chelsea May Have to Pay £60m for Rennes’ 20-Year-Old Centre-Back Who Plays Exactly Like One of Their Biggest Rivals

Jeremy Jacquet Emerges as Chelsea’s Next Big Defensive Gamble – And the £60m Price Tag Tells Its Own Story

Chelsea’s search for a dominant, long-term centre-back has quietly turned into one of the club’s most defining recruitment stories of recent years. Since Antonio Rüdiger walked away on a free transfer in 2022 and Thiago Silva eventually returned home to Fluminense, the hole at the heart of Chelsea’s defence has never really been filled. Plenty of money has been spent, plenty of young players have arrived, but no one has truly looked like the defensive leader.

Now, Chelsea believe they may have found that player in Jeremy Jacquet. He is just 20 years old, still learning his trade, and far from the finished article — yet Rennes value him at around £60 million, a figure that speaks volumes about both his talent and the modern transfer market.

For Chelsea supporters, the obvious questions follow: who exactly is Jeremy Jacquet, why are Rennes demanding such a hefty fee, and why does his playing style feel uncomfortably similar to one of Chelsea’s biggest rivals?

A Familiar Chelsea Pattern, But With a Crucial Difference

At first glance, Jacquet fits neatly into the now-familiar BlueCo recruitment profile. He is young, raw, athletic, and full of upside. He does not come with the résumé of a Rüdiger or Thiago Silva, nor does he have years of elite European experience behind him. He is a project.

But there is a crucial difference.

Unlike some of the £15–20 million teenagers Chelsea have collected in recent windows — players signed more on potential spreadsheets than first-team necessity — Jacquet already looks like someone who could step into a senior defence and stay there. He is not being bought to disappear on loan. He is being targeted to start, to grow, and eventually to lead.

That is why Chelsea are even entertaining a £60m deal for a centre-back who won’t turn 21 until July.

Where It All Began: Bondy to Brittany

Jeremy Jacquet was born on July 13, 2005, in Bondy, a suburb of Paris better known for producing Kylian Mbappé than centre-backs. When France last lost a World Cup final in 2006, Jacquet was still a baby. By the time they lifted the trophy again in 2018, he was a 13-year-old playing grassroots football at RC Joinville.

Like many talented youngsters in the Paris region, he slipped through Paris Saint-Germain’s fingers. Instead, Rennes — a club with a reputation for trusting youth — moved quickly, offering him amateur terms in 2019. It would prove to be a decisive moment, both for Jacquet and for Rennes’ balance sheet.

FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-RENNES-PSG Jeremy Jacquet

The Big Break: From Academy to Survival Football

Jacquet’s rise was anything but gradual.

At just 18, he jumped straight from Rennes’ youth sides into the first-team picture, making his Ligue 1 debut in January 2024 against Nice. Days later, he was sent out on loan to Clermont, a club fighting for survival.

On paper, it looked like a brutal learning environment. In reality, it accelerated his development.

Clermont were eventually relegated, but Jacquet emerged with credit. Rennes believed continuity mattered more than optics, so they sent him back to Clermont for a second spell in Ligue 2, fresh off an impressive Under-19 European Championship with France.

It did not take long for it to become obvious that Jacquet was playing below his level.

Too Good for Ligue 2, Too Important to Ignore

By the middle of the 2024–25 season, Jacquet was Clermont’s defensive anchor. He dominated aerially, read danger early, and showed an unexpected calm in possession. Rennes made a decisive call, spending around £780,000 to terminate the loan early and bring him back.

The decision paid off immediately.

Jacquet started 11 of Rennes’ final 14 Ligue 1 matches, helping the club pull clear of relegation worries and finish 11th. For a teenager, the authority he showed was striking. This was not a defender hiding behind experience — he was the experience.

How It’s Going: From Prospect to Centrepiece

FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-RENNES-MONACO Jeremy Jacquet

By the summer of 2025, Jacquet was no longer a hidden gem. Arsenal made enquiries, viewing him as a possible replacement for Jakub Kiwior, but Rennes shut the door. Jacquet signed a new contract and showed little interest in forcing a move.

This season, he has barely missed a minute. Suspension aside, he has started almost every league game, earned five caps for France’s Under-21s, and is now being discussed as a potential senior international option ahead of the World Cup.

Chelsea’s interest feels inevitable rather than opportunistic.

Biggest Strengths: Aggression, Intelligence and the Ball at His Feet

FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-RENNES-AUXERRE Jeremy Jacquet

Jacquet’s most obvious asset is his controlled aggression. He defends on the front foot, steps out of the line confidently, and relishes physical duels. He is comfortable in a back three or a back four, can play either side of defence, and has even operated as a sweeper when required.

Statistically, his reading of the game stands out. He ranks in the 95th percentile among European centre-backs for interceptions, averaging 1.69 per 90 minutes. That is not accidental — it comes from anticipation and courage.

What truly separates him from many French defensive prospects, though, is his work on the ball. Jacquet switches play effortlessly, plays vertical passes through midfield, and is confident carrying the ball into the opposition half. For a Chelsea side that wants to build from the back, that matters.

Room for Improvement: Discipline and the Spotlight

FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-RENNES-MONACOJeremy Jacquet

There are, of course, concerns.

The first is context. Dominating Ligue 1 at 20 does not guarantee Premier League success, especially at a club like Chelsea where scrutiny is relentless. Being labelled a £60m solution only increases the pressure.

The second is discipline. Jacquet’s aggression sometimes crosses the line. He can be touch-tight to a fault, occasionally gets spun, and gives away cheap fouls. His red card against PSG earlier this season — followed by another suspension-triggering booking on his return — highlighted that risk.

Chelsea, not exactly a model of calm, may not be the easiest environment in which to iron out those habits.

Why He Plays Exactly Like One of Chelsea’s Biggest Rivals

Here’s the uncomfortable part for Chelsea fans.

Jeremy Jacquet plays remarkably like Tottenham captain Cristian Romero.

Both are fearless, front-foot defenders. Both thrive on chaos. Both are capable of world-class performances — and moments of self-destruction. Romero’s ability to step into midfield, break lines with passes, and defend aggressively mirrors Jacquet almost perfectly.

Romero, of course, is a World Cup winner. He is also still a Tottenham player because he has never fully eliminated his worst instincts.

Jacquet is younger, more malleable, and still learning. Chelsea will believe they can shape him without dulling his edge.

What Comes Next: Is £60m Worth It?

Tottenham Hotspur v Villarreal CF – UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1

Chelsea have already agreed personal terms with Jacquet. The player is keen. The only question is Rennes’ valuation.

At £60m, it is a gamble — but one Chelsea appear ready to take. Rennes know they are in a strong position, sitting just two points off the Champions League places, and have no need to sell mid-season.

Head coach Habib Beye made that clear: Jacquet is essential, and losing him would lower their ambitions.

Chelsea, however, are desperate for a defender they can truly build around. If they genuinely believe Jacquet can become that player, then this is the kind of deal they cannot afford to hesitate on.

In modern football, every player has a price. Rennes have named theirs. Now it’s up to Chelsea to decide whether Jeremy Jacquet is worth becoming the £60m defender who looks suspiciously like their rivals’ best.