Chelsea are moving closer to securing the signing of Rennes Defender Jérémy Jacquet. Still, negotiations remain complicated as the French club seeks to extend the player’s loan until the end of the season.
The London side view the 20-year-old as a priority target during the winter window and are prepared to meet Rennes’s valuation, with a deal expected to exceed £50 million. However, Rennes are reluctant to sanction an immediate departure, insisting that any agreement must include Jacquet remaining in Brittany for the rest of the season.
Jacquet has reportedly agreed on personal terms with Chelsea and is open to the move. The defender is under contract with Rennes until 2029 and has been one of the club’s standout performers this season, making 16 appearances across all competitions while attracting substantial interest in Europe.
Rennes head coach Habib Beye has publicly voiced his concerns over the potential loss of the centre-back, expressing that his departure would significantly impact the club’s sporting ambitions. The Breton side currently sit sixth in Ligue 1 and remain in contention for European qualification.
Chelsea’s proposal to buy Jacquet and immediately loan him back is seen as a compromise that could satisfy all parties. The Premier League club has already taken steps to free up loan slots, recalling Datro Fofana as they look to revamp their squad for the second half of the season.
Highly regarded within French Football, Jérémy Jacquet has been at Rennes for six years and is considered one of the brightest defensive prospects in his age group. His rapid rise has inevitably attracted suitors from all around Europe, but the London club have moved the fastest to secure his signature.
Talks between the two clubs are ongoing, with Rennes holding firm on their stance while Chelsea remain confident a solution can be found before the window closes.
