Happy January Transfer Window Deadline Day everybody! Not a whole lot happened, however. Actually, other than Liverpool signing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, for £60m (£55m up front + £5m in potential add-ons), pretty much nothing happened.
It was a very quiet deadline day, to cap off a pretty quiet winter window.
And Jeremy Jacquet isn’t even joining the Merseyside club today, as his deal will see him instead move to Anfield in July. He’ll remain with Rennes until the end of the season.
The France U21 international will, according to the BBC: “sign a five-year deal until the summer of 2031 with the option of a further year.” Chelsea reportedly held talks with the Jeremy Jacquet camp, on a potential deal, but were outbid by the Merseysiders.
Arsenal and Bayern Munich were keen on Jacquet as well.
The Reds were also keen on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, but he ultimately choose Manchester City instead. (If anyone won the January 2026 transfer window, it’s Man City).
However, while Guehi is the player for right now, Jacquet is the deal that’s a more longer-term play. According to The Athletic:
“Liverpool view Jacquet as being a more valuable long-term acquisition than Guehi in their model, hence the push to sign the France youth international.”
Liverpool, fresh off a 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle United this past Saturday, host Manchester City on Sunday. They currently sit in sixth place, two points outside the top four.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.