Jacquet Set for Surgery as Defensive Injury Woes Mount at Liverpool

Liverpool's defensive crisis deepens with troubling injury updates on two key figures set to bolster Arne Slot's backline.

Incoming centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who Liverpool secured from Rennes for around £60m plus add-ons, is heading for the operating theatre after sustaining a significant shoulder injury. The Reds fended off rival interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich to land the Ligue 1 prospect, but his imminent arrival is now clouded by surgical intervention.

Rennes boss Habib Beye confirmed the severity of the situation, describing the injury as "quite serious" alongside a separate muscular problem for teammate Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal. French publication L'Equipe reports that surgery remains a possibility, though the prognosis suggests Jacquet could return within several weeks rather than face an extended absence.

The defensive department's troubles extend beyond Jacquet's predicament. Conor Bradley's season effectively appears over after a non-contact knee injury sustained during January's draw with Arsenal has left his availability in serious doubt.

Injury specialist Ben Dinnery painted a bleak picture of the right-back's timeline, indicating the damage extends beyond ligament trauma. Tests revealed bone involvement, suggesting an ACL problem of considerable magnitude. "We're probably looking at something that is going to head into the latter part of the year," Dinnery explained to Anfield Index. "If there's any return in 2026 it would be a massive bonus for Liverpool, but it could quite easily stretch into the early part of 2027."

Bradley's injury came during an awkward landing while sprinting, a mechanism that typically signals serious structural damage. For Liverpool's defensive reconstruction efforts, his potential unavailability through the remainder of 2026 compounds an already challenging campaign marked by departures from form among established personnel and persistent full-back complications.