Liverpool fears over screaming Jacquet confirmed as £60m star’s injury ‘serious’
Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet was forced off with a shoulder injury in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Lens, just five days after completing his Liverpool medical ahead of his £60m summer move to Anfield
Rennes manager Habib Beye has confirmed that Jeremy Jacquet sustained a “serious” injury during the club’s 3-1 defeat to Lens on Saturday.
The defender, who recently completed a £60million transfer to Liverpool, was substituted in the 69th minute after damaging his left shoulder. Jacquet appeared to be in considerable discomfort and was replaced by Mahamadou Nagida.
The player had to cradle his left arm and was helped off the field by a member of Rennes’ medical staff. The timing is particularly unfortunate, coming just five days after he passed his Liverpool medical, ahead of his summer switch to the Reds.
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Speaking following Saturday’s match, Beye said: “For Jeremy, it’s his shoulder, and for Abdelhamid [Ait Boudlal, the other Rennes player injured] it’s muscular.
“We’ll have time to see,” he said when asked about a return time frame. “But it’s definitely quite serious for both of them,” added the former Newcastle United and Aston Villa defender.
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Whilst Liverpool will undoubtedly be worried about the potential long-term implications of the injury, it’s Rennes who face the most pressing concerns. Jacquet has become an integral part of the squad, having missed only two league fixtures this season, both through suspension.
The 20-year-old stressed the significance of helping Rennes finish the campaign on a high, in a statement released following the confirmation of his Liverpool move. “I am honored to sign for Liverpool, one of the greatest football institutions in the world,” Jacquet said.
“It was also very important for me to finish my time in red and black on a high, at my boyhood club, the club of my heart. I’m approaching this second half of the season with the desire to experience some great moments with my team-mates and the fans.”
Saturday’s outcome dealt a significant blow to Rennes’ aspirations of qualifying for European competition, whilst Lens leapfrogged Paris Saint-Germain to claim top spot with the victory. Liverpool will be eagerly awaiting news on Jacquet’s condition over the coming days.
The defensive injury crisis that has plagued the Reds throughout the campaign appears to extend even to their future signings. At present, just four of Arne Slot’s eight defenders are available for selection ahead of today’s showdown with Manchester City (Sunday 4.30pm).
Joe Gomez could potentially return in time to feature against Pep Guardiola’s outfit at Anfield, in a potential boost for the manager. However, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong remain sidelined through injury, forcing Slot to come up with some creative solutions within his squad.
One of those solutions has been using Dominik Szoboszlai as a make-shift right-back, while Curtis Jones is also capable of starting there. Regardless of those injuries, a victory will be key for Liverpool in their race for European qualification, with rivals Manchester United and Chelsea both picking up wins earlier in the weekend of Premier League action.
The previous week’s 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle put an end to five games in the division without a win, but there is still plenty of work to do.
