Is Jeremy Jacquet joining Liverpool as Ibrahima Konate's raplacement?

Jeremy Jacquet is heading to Liverpool, the Reds finally have their new defender.

The last senior central defender the Premier League champions signed was Ibrahima Konate in 2021, and the 26-year-old is now into the final six months of his contract.

Marc Guehi was just moments away from a Merseyside move last summer but has since signed for Manchester City.

Now, according to multiple reports, Rennes’ 20-year-old defender Jeremy Jacquet will be joining Liverpool in the summer for a deal worth around £60 million.

The Frenchman is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most exciting prospects, but is he being signed to strengthen Liverpool’s depth or to replace a departing Konate?

Is Jacquet Konate’s replacement?

Although Konate is into the final months of his deal, and is free to talk to clubs overseas about signing a pre-contract agreement, negotiations do still seem to be ongoing to keep the defender at Anfield.

Discussions over a new deal first took place last season, and progress towards an agreement has been slow.

Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah found themselves in a similar situation last season, only signing renewals in April, so there is still plenty of time to get Konate to stay in Merseyside.

Authorising a spend of £60 million, the second highest amount the club have ever paid for a defender, does feel like a sign that Jacquet is viewed as a player who will come into Liverpool’s starting XI straight away – so his arrival could well be to replace Konate.

Van Dijk will be entering the final year of his deal and will also turn 35 next summer, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the captain leave at the end of his current deal, meaning Jacquet could be the long-term Van Dijk replacement and Konate could stay.

Giovanni Leoni, who signed last summer but suffered a season-ending injury on his debut, also has huge potential and may well step up to take more responsibility on his return from injury.

Jacquet arriving isn’t a sure sign that Konate will leave, but it is clear the club view him as a player who can make an immediate impact, and he could well fill his compatriot’s place in the squad if he doesn’t renew at Anfield.

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