Why Liverpool’s Faith in Jeremy Jacquet Is Being Vindicated Right Now
A £60m fee for a 21 year old arriving from Stade Rennais was always going to raise an eyebrow or two around Anfield, but three months into the season nobody is asking questions about Jeremy Jacquet’s price tag anymore. The early verdict from inside the building, delivered by Andoni Iraola himself this week, could hardly have been more glowing.
A Breakout Campaign Nobody Saw Coming
Jacquet has quietly become one of the most important figures in Liverpool’s early season, and his nomination for the Premier League’s Player of the Month award in September only confirms what those watching closely already suspected. Iraola was in no mood to play it down when asked about his young full back’s form, pointing to the daily evidence of his quality on the training ground rather than just the numbers on a Saturday.
“He is a very good player and every day in training you can appreciate what he has,” the head coach said, adding that he was just as pleased for Jacquet on a personal level after his first senior involvement with France during the international break.
The France Breakthrough
Getting called into Zinedine Zidane’s squad was always going to be a landmark moment for a player who only turned 21 this year, and Iraola made clear he understood exactly what that meant to him. He missed France’s final game of the window through what was described as a precautionary issue rather than anything serious, and Liverpool’s medical staff appear satisfied there is nothing to worry about.
Asked directly whether Jacquet would be fit to face Manchester City, Iraola was unambiguous. He is fit, he is ready to go, and training on Saturday is just the final formality before a start against the champions looks close to certain.
A Timely Boost With Isak and Gakpo Sidelined
The good news around Jacquet arrives against a less reassuring backdrop up front. Iraola confirmed that both Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo picked up knocks during the international break and will miss out at the weekend, leaving Liverpool short of attacking options heading into one of the toughest fixtures on the calendar.
It makes Jacquet’s reliability all the more valuable. With question marks elsewhere in the squad, having one position nailed down by a player in this kind of form is exactly the sort of stability Iraola will be grateful for against City.