Liverpool seal Jeremy Jacquet deal, Crystal Palace sign Jorgen Strand Larsen on deadline day
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Jeremy Jacquet (right) in action for Rennes during a 5-0 Ligue 1 away defeat by Paris Saint-Germain and their star man Ousmane Dembele (left) on Dec 6. Jacquet will join Liverpool ahead of the 2026-27 season.
PHOTO: AFP
LONDON – Liverpool won the race to sign defender Jeremy Jacquet from French club Rennes on a quiet final day of the English Premier League transfer window, while Crystal Palace swooped for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, despite the collapse of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to Italian side AC Milan.
The Reds agreed a reported fee of up to £60 million (S$104.2 million) for the highly rated Jacquet before the window closed. But the 20-year-old will not join the Premier League champions until the summer, despite Liverpool’s need for defensive reinforcements.
The French Under-21 international had been linked with a transfer to Chelsea but was reportedly put off the move
Jacquet has only made 31 appearances for Rennes, but Liverpool will reportedly pay an initial £55 million with a further £5 million contingent on add-ons.
“Liverpool have reached an agreement for the transfer of Jeremy Jacquet from Stade Rennais, with the defender set to join the club ahead of the 2026-27 season, subject to a work permit and international clearance,” a statement on the club’s website said, adding that he will join “on a long-term contract”.
Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher welcomed the signing but highlighted that the Reds “have pressing problems right now that they need to fix” in central defence.
His former teammate Jamie Redknapp took a more positive view, suggesting that both club and player might be best served with Jacquet gaining more experience before “coming to Liverpool when he’s ready” in the summer.
On a day of few noteworthy moves, Palace completed their club-record £48 million signing of Norway forward Strand Larsen on a 4½-year contract.
Palace moved for Strand Larsen after believing Mateta was about to leave the club. But the France striker’s proposed switch to Serie A fell through after medical concerns over a knee injury.
“AC Milan requested further tests on his knee, and they did not provide the necessary assurances to finalise the transfer,” a source told AFP. “The move has now been abandoned.” Sky Sports reported the French forward is now considering knee surgery.
Bottom-club Wolves signed Southampton striker Adam Armstrong for £7 million to replace Strand Larsen.
Chelsea’s 19-year-old winger Tyrique George joined Everton on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to make the move permanent in the close season.
The Blues also recalled Mamadou Sarr from his loan spell at Strasbourg to be reunited with manager Liam Rosenior, who worked with him at the French club earlier this season, while defender Axel Disasi moved to West Ham United on loan until the end of the season.
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips joined Championship side Sheffield United, also on loan for the rest of the campaign. Phillips, who last played for England in 2023, has featured for City just once this season, as a late substitute in their 2-0 League Cup win at Huddersfield Town in September.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur signed 18-year-old striker James Wilson on loan from Scottish Premiership leaders Heart of Midlothian.
They have an option to buy Wilson, the youngest player to represent Scotland after he made a substitute appearance in a 3-0 home defeat by Greece in March 2025.
Nottingham Forest signed left-back Luca Netz from German club Borussia Monchengladbach on a 4½-year deal.
Sunderland landed Ecuador winger Nilson Angulo from Belgian outfit Anderlecht in a deal worth £17.5 million, while their winger Simon Adingra joined Ligue 1 side Monaco on loan with a view to a permanent move. AFP
