Liverpool and Chelsea Circle Rennes Star as Real Madrid Drop the Ball in Transfer Race

The race for Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet has taken a distinctly English flavour, with Liverpool and Chelsea muscling their way to the front of a queue that once looked considerably more crowded.

Both Premier League clubs are actively hunting defensive reinforcements. Liverpool's backline woes are well documented—Virgil van Dijk's form has dipped alarmingly whilst Ibrahima Konate has similarly underwhelmed, and the situation worsened when Giovanni Leoni suffered a serious injury earlier in the campaign. Chelsea, meanwhile, have cycled through various centre-back combinations under Enzo Maresca and successor Liam Rosenior, signalling that the defensive department requires urgent surgery if they're to mount a title challenge next season.

The 20-year-old Jacquet, who boasts five caps for France's Under-21 side, has emerged as the target both sides believe can solve their problems.

The timing question marks this pursuit, however. Chelsea are keen to wrap matters up before the window slams shut, whereas Liverpool are content to wait until summer. Rennes, for their part, would apparently entertain a January departure if they could retain the defender on loan through to season's end.

Bayern Munich have effectively removed themselves from contention. Bild's Christian Falk stated plainly that the Bavarians are "not a big competitor" for Jacquet's services, noting that whilst they're aware of his talents and anticipate his marketability come summer, they're not currently negotiating and won't splash the cash now.

Falk's assessment pegged the fee at roughly €50 million—approximately £43.3 million—and suggested the Premier League represented a likelier destination.

Real Madrid, by contrast, appear to have dozed off at a crucial juncture. Spanish outlets report the Spanish giants are "asleep at the wheel" as Liverpool and Chelsea take command. President Florentino Perez reportedly views signing a young, promising centre-back as non-negotiable, yet the club's inability to move swiftly has left them trailing.

The player himself appears inclined toward the Premier League, where financial muscle and regular elite competition hold obvious appeal.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has emphasised this shouldn't be dismissed as a minor subplot. Both Liverpool and Chelsea remain actively engaged, he's indicated, with Bayern now appearing unlikely given the defender's preference for English football. This could represent a now-or-never moment before the summer window opens, Romano suggested, with Chelsea pushing hard for an immediate resolution whilst Liverpool maintain flexibility on timing.

Rennes would prefer to sell now but allow the player to depart in summer rather than immediately, creating a potential compromise scenario that could expedite negotiations.