Chelsea Land Personal Terms with Jacquet as Transfer Tussle Intensifies

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Chelsea have wrapped up personal terms with Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, marking significant progress in what promises to be a substantial piece of business for the Blues.

The move comes as Liam Rosenior looks to strengthen his squad following his appointment as successor to Enzo Maresca. The new manager has made an encouraging start at Stamford Bridge, steering Chelsea to a 5-1 FA Cup demolition of Charlton and a 2-0 Premier League victory over Brentford, sandwiched around a 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Arsenal. With the club now breathing down Liverpool's neck in fourth place, just two points adrift, reinforcements appear to be the order of the day.

Jacquet has emerged as Chelsea's primary target at centre-back, with his contract terms already agreed and the player reportedly keen on the move. However, the real battle lies in negotiations with Rennes, who are holding firm on their valuation.

The French club are seeking a club-record fee for the 23-year-old—a figure between €65m and €70m. This would eclipse their previous record sale of Jeremy Doku to Manchester City, who departed for €64m in summer 2023. Rennes view Jacquet as one of Europe's finest young defenders and are pricing him accordingly.

Chelsea have already dispatched a delegation to France to open discussions, though Romano suggests the Blues' opening bid falls short of Rennes' asking price. Rather than meeting the figure head-on, Chelsea intend to negotiate both the structure and valuation of the deal.

Rosenior's familiarity with French football—gained during his tenure at Strasbourg—has proven valuable in steering negotiations, with the new Chelsea boss, the club's directors, and ownership all aligned on the pursuit. Fresh contact is expected this week as Chelsea push to accelerate progress on a deal that would represent their biggest outlay in the transfer market.