Chelsea have moved fast and against all odds secured a major signing, beating Liverpool, Man United, and Arsenal to the deal
Chelsea initially weren’t expected to make any major signings this transfer window, but reports emerged last week suggesting they were pursuing Rennes midfielder Jeremy Jacquet aggressively.
According to Bobby Vincent from Football.London, the situation has stalled. While Chelsea remain in discussions with Rennes, negotiations haven’t progressed much recently.
Manager Liam Rosenior avoided addressing questions about the potential transfer during yesterday’s press conference, though he likely had little information to share anyway.
The main obstacle appears to be Rennes’ hefty price tag of €70-80 million, which would set a club record for them. Chelsea are trying to negotiate that figure down and structure payments differently, but finding common ground seems challenging given their current financial constraints.
Even prominent transfer journalists like Fabrizio Romano and Ben Jacobs indicated the deal was progressing, with Romano reporting agreed personal terms with the player. However, the financial aspects were always going to be the real challenge rather than player agreement.
The lack of progress isn’t surprising—until Chelsea offload some players, movement on Jacquet’s transfer seems unlikely.
Additional updates include Rosenior defending his credentials despite his youth, stating he’s qualified for the position regardless of age. Meanwhile, Chelsea have reportedly shown interest in Arda Guler, though acquiring him would require unpopular roster and financial maneuvering.
