Liverpool have agreed a £60million deal to sign Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who has been in talks with Chelsea.
Standard Sport understands that Liverpool will pay a guaranteed £55m, with a further £5m in add-ons. Jacquet will remain at Rennes for the remainder of the current Ligue 1 season, before moving to Anfield in the summer.
Chelsea are long-time admirers of Jacquet, who is considered one the most promising youngsters in Europe.
Talks between Rennes and the Blues began earlier in January, but a fee was never agreed as Rennes pushed for a club-record sale which would eclipse the €60m Manchester City paid for Jeremy Doku in 2023.
Chelsea were unwilling to match that asking price, but Liverpool have obliged after launching a late bid for the 20-year-old, with significant progress made over the past 48 hours.
Personal terms will now be discussed, which are expected to be a formality.
Jacquet would likely replace Ibrahima Konate at Liverpool, with the centre-back's future at the club still uncertain as he enters the final months of his contract with little expectation of an extension being signed.
Liverpool have been looking for a new centre-back. They missed out on Marc Guehi, who joined Manchester City in a cut-price deal earlier this month, and briefly explored a loan move for Lutsharel Geertruida after talks with Sunderland.
Chelsea have already moved on from Jacquet, with Mamadou Sarr flying into London to finalise a return on Deadline Day after his Strasbourg loan was cut short. The Blues are also reluctant to hamper Josh Acheampong’s development.
Aaron Anselmino, who recently saw his loan move with Borussia Dortmund end early, will replace Sarr at the Ligue 1 side.
