Liverpool considering January deal for 20-year-old French star

Liverpool have got some problems to solve at centre-back.

Most pressingly, the Premier League champions are now just a matter of months away from losing Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer.

The France international is out of contract in summer 2026 and if no new deal is agreed then he will be walking out the door for nothing.

The 26-year-old has been entitled to speak to interested overseas clubs since January 1 but it remains to be seen where the defender’s future lies.

Liverpool eyeing up January deal for centre-back

Then there’s Joe Gomez. The 28-year-old is contract at Anfield until 2027 but could end up leaving before then with interest in his services from AC Milan.

Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni last summer for £26m from Parma - but the teenager is expected to be out for the season having torn his ACL on debut.

Sporting director Richard Hughes also missed out on the signing of Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day - leaving Arne Slot short of options in the centre-back sector for his Premier League title defence.

Accordingly Liverpool have been tipped to move for a new defender in this January market - with Guehi once again linked as well as Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge.

Liverpool to challenge European elite for Jacquet

But now the Reds are ready to challenge several of Europe’s top clubs for the January signing of Jeremy Jacquet - a prodigiously gifted 20-year-old defender from Rennes.

Jacquet is under contract at Rennes until 2029 and it’s going to take a sizeable bid to remove him from his boyhood club. But Football Insider says Liverpool - along with Arsenal and Chelsea - are prepared to test Rennes’ resolve in this window.

“All three clubs could look to add to their respective defensive depth in the January window, with Jacquet a known target for each, as well as Man City and Real Madrid,” the report reads.

“You’ve got the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Real Madrid, all looking at Jacquet as well, so yeah, it’s not going to be a straightforward one for Liverpool.”

The France under-21 international has established himself as one of the best up-and-coming centre-backs in Europe over the last year or so - leaving Liverpool and others on alert for a potential deal.

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