Defender keen on Chelsea move despite interest from Liverpool & Bayern Munich

Chelsea have moved into pole position to sign highly rated Stade Rennais centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, with Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol revealing that the 20-year-old has expressed a clear preference for joining the London club despite interest from several European sides.

Talks between Chelsea and Rennes are ongoing, as the Premier League club look to finalise a deal that would bring one of Ligue 1’s most exciting young defenders to Stamford Bridge.

Jacquet, who has broken into Rennes’ senior setup over the past year, has quickly gained a reputation as a technically polished, physically dominant centre-half, drawing comparisons to fellow French talents like Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba.

Chelsea’s project, built around developing elite young players, is believed to appeal strongly to Jacquet.

The club have made significant investments in emerging defensive prospects, such as Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Aaron Anselmino and others.

The player is attracted to Chelsea’s clear pathway for young defenders and the opportunity to compete for major trophies in the Premier League.

Despite the player’s interest, Rennes are keen to keep Jacquet until the summer, ideally preferring a scenario where he remains a crucial part of their squad for the remainder of the season.

That said, they have not closed the door on a January deal, particularly if Chelsea are willing to agree to a structure that allows Jacquet to stay on loan in France until the season ends.

Jacquet’s emergence has not gone unnoticed elsewhere. Several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich and Premier League sides such as Liverpool, have been monitoring his progress closely.

Yet Chelsea appear to be the most advanced in negotiations and, crucially, hold the advantage of being the player’s preferred destination.

Rennes are expected to demand a substantial fee for their academy product, who is contracted long-term and considered a pillar of their defensive future.

Chelsea, however, remain confident they can strike an agreement, as the club continues its strategy of securing elite young talent before their value skyrockets.

Chelsea talks underway with player’s camp, transfer possible by Monday

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