Liverpool’s new defence is beginning to look less like a work in progress and more like a structure capable of carrying Andoni Iraola’s team through a demanding season. At the centre of that transformation is Jérémy Jacquet.
When Liverpool signed the young French centre-back from Rennes, the transfer was naturally viewed through the lens of potential. Jacquet was only 20 when the deal was agreed, had limited senior experience and was arriving in England to play for a club with immediate Premier League and Champions League ambitions.
Two months into his Anfield career, however, the conversation is changing.
Liverpool have now recorded three consecutive Premier League clean sheets, culminating in Sunday’s 1-0 victory away to Bournemouth. Opta notes that it was Liverpool’s longest run without conceding in the league since a four-match sequence between May and September 2024.
More importantly, Jacquet is no longer simply being discussed as a defender for the future.
He is becoming part of Liverpool’s present.
And that could be one of the most important developments of Iraola’s early reign.
Liverpools New Defence Is Starting to Find Its Shape
Liverpool’s defensive rebuild was always going to require patience.
The club entered the 2026/27 campaign under a new head coach after Andoni Iraola replaced Arne Slot. Iraola arrived with a reputation for aggressive pressing, defensive intensity and a willingness to attack space quickly rather than dominate possession for its own sake.
That approach places significant demands on the back line.
Defenders must be comfortable defending large spaces. They need to react quickly after possession is lost, win their individual duels and maintain enough composure to play forward when the opportunity appears.
Liverpool’s early results suggested there would be a learning curve.
The Reds opened their Premier League campaign with consecutive 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest before beating Ipswich Town 2-0 and drawing 0-0 with Fulham.
Then came Bournemouth.
A 1-0 victory at the Vitality Stadium may not have produced spectacular attacking football, but it offered something arguably more important for a developing team: evidence that Liverpool could withstand pressure and protect a narrow advantage.
Iraola specifically highlighted the growing understanding between Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk, alongside Ronald Araújo and Milos Kerkez.
> “The more time – especially the defenders – they play together I think it becomes more solid as a unit.”
That is perhaps the most revealing assessment of Liverpool’s defensive development so far.
The system is not finished.
But the relationships are beginning to develop.
Jérémy Jacquet Liverpool: From Potential Signing to First-Team Solution
Liverpool officially completed Jacquet’s signing from Rennes on July 1, 2026, after agreeing the deal earlier in the year. The defender arrived on a long-term contract after progressing through Rennes’ academy and making 33 senior appearances for the club.
His 2025/26 campaign was interrupted by a shoulder injury in February, but before moving to England he had already gained experience in both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, including a loan spell at Clermont Foot.
Liverpool had therefore not signed a completely untested academy prospect.
They had signed a young defender who had already experienced senior football in France and had represented his country at youth level.
His profile also fits the modern centre-back Liverpool need.
At 1.88 metres, Jacquet has the physical frame to compete in the Premier League, while his right-footed profile gives Iraola another option alongside the left-footed balance of Van Dijk.
But physical characteristics alone do not explain his rapid adaptation.
His decision-making does.
Against Bournemouth, Jacquet looked increasingly comfortable defending under pressure and protecting the space behind Liverpool’s midfield. His performance was strong enough for Liverpool supporters to vote him the club’s Player of the Match.
That recognition matters because it came in precisely the type of match in which a young defender can be exposed.
Bournemouth started aggressively.
Liverpool did not dominate from the opening whistle.
Iraola admitted that his side struggled during the opening 20 to 25 minutes before gradually matching Bournemouth’s intensity.
For a centre-back, that environment tests concentration, positioning and communication.
Jacquet passed that test.
Liverpool’s New Defence and the Van Dijk Partnership
The most interesting element of Liverpool’s new defence is not simply Jacquet’s individual form.
It is the relationship developing between him and Van Dijk.
Liverpool’s captain remains an important reference point for the defensive line, but the club also needs to prepare for a future in which its defensive structure cannot depend entirely on the veteran centre-back.
Jacquet potentially offers both solutions simultaneously.
He can learn from Van Dijk while gradually becoming a major component of the next generation of Liverpool’s defence.
That combination is particularly valuable for Iraola.
A young centre-back playing alongside an experienced organiser can take more calculated risks. Van Dijk can provide positional guidance, communication and experience, while Jacquet can contribute athleticism and aggression.
The early signs are encouraging.
Iraola said Jacquet had struggled physically during his first matches because of the change in rhythm between French football and the Premier League. The coach explained that the defender had previously finished matches with cramps and fatigue and had sometimes needed to be substituted.
Against Bournemouth, however, Iraola felt there had been a significant step forward.
Jacquet remained solid until the end and finished the match in better physical condition.
That is an important development.
The Premier League is not simply about technical quality.
It is about sustaining physical intensity over 90 minutes.
Liverpool’s New Defence: Why Three Clean Sheets Matter
There is an important tactical reason why Jacquet could become particularly valuable to Liverpool.
Iraola’s football requires defenders who are comfortable defending aggressively rather than simply retreating toward their own penalty area.
Liverpool’s defensive line can be asked to move high when the team presses.
That creates space behind the defenders.
If the press succeeds, Liverpool can recover possession high up the pitch. If it fails, however, the centre-backs must defend large spaces against fast attackers.
This is where Jacquet’s development becomes particularly interesting.
A defender operating in such a system must constantly make three decisions:
- When should he step forward?
- When should he hold his position?
- When should he retreat and protect the space behind him?
The wrong decision can immediately expose the entire team.
The right decision can stop an attack before it becomes dangerous.
Jacquet’s early performances suggest that he is becoming increasingly comfortable with those decisions.
That does not mean he has eliminated mistakes.
He has not.
Liverpool’s opening 2-2 draw at Newcastle, for example, showed that the new defensive unit could still be vulnerable when games become chaotic. The Premier League’s official report noted an early difficult challenge by Jacquet during that match.
But development is precisely the point.
Liverpool did not sign Jacquet because he was already a finished product.
They signed him because his ceiling could be extremely high.
Liverpool’s Defensive Improvement Is More Than Three Clean Sheets
Three consecutive clean sheets are encouraging, but they should not be treated as proof that Liverpool have solved every defensive problem.
That would be premature.
What matters is how those clean sheets have been achieved.
Liverpool beat Ipswich 2-0, drew 0-0 with Fulham and then defeated Bournemouth 1-0.
Those matches demanded different forms of defending.
Against Ipswich, Liverpool had to manage transitions.
Against Fulham, they had to remain patient against a side capable of disrupting rhythm.
Against Bournemouth, they had to withstand a physically intense opening period before taking control.
That variety is useful for a new defensive unit.
It is one thing to keep a clean sheet when a team dominates possession and territory.
It is another to keep one when the opposition is aggressive and uncomfortable.
Bournemouth provided the latter test.
And Liverpool passed it.
The Full-Backs Matter Too
It would be wrong to attribute Liverpool’s defensive improvement entirely to Jacquet.
Iraola specifically mentioned Ronald Araújo and Milos Kerkez alongside Jacquet and Van Dijk when discussing the developing defensive connections.
That is crucial.
Modern defending is not simply about centre-backs.
When Liverpool press high, the full-backs and wide players must coordinate their positions with the central defenders.
If the full-back pushes forward at the wrong moment, the centre-back can be exposed.
If the centre-back steps out without adequate cover, the channel behind him becomes vulnerable.
The four players therefore need to behave as a single defensive unit.
Liverpool’s recent run suggests that those connections are beginning to improve.
Iraola has also explained his preference for keeping the same back four together, arguing that continuity helps defenders build understanding.
That may become one of the defining factors in Liverpool’s defensive development.
Jérémy Jacquet’s France Call-Up Changes the Conversation
The timing of Jacquet’s rise is remarkable.
On September 18, France head coach Zinedine Zidane selected the Liverpool defender in his first national-team squad. It was Jacquet’s first senior France call-up.
For a 21-year-old who had only just moved to Liverpool, that represents a major acceleration.
It also says something about how quickly his reputation has changed.
Liverpool signed Jacquet as a promising young defender.
Within weeks, he had become an established part of the Premier League team’s starting defensive structure and then received recognition from one of the world’s strongest national teams.
Zidane’s decision should not automatically be interpreted as proof that Jacquet has already reached elite level.
But it is a significant milestone.
And it gives the player another opportunity to develop alongside experienced international defenders.
The £60 Million Question
Liverpool’s investment also adds another layer to the story.
The club agreed a deal reported by Liverpool as £55 million plus £5 million in add-ons, taking the potential value to £60 million.
That is serious money for a young centre-back.
It means expectations will naturally rise.
Liverpool are not simply developing Jacquet for sentimental reasons.
They are investing in a defender they believe can become a long-term pillar of the team.
That investment becomes particularly logical when viewed against the age profile of Liverpool’s defensive group.
Van Dijk provides experience.
Jacquet represents the future.
Araújo brings elite-level defensive pedigree and versatility.
Kerkez adds youth and intensity on the left.
The broader picture is therefore more interesting than one player’s form.
Liverpool are constructing a defensive group capable of serving different phases of the club’s cycle.
The Real Test Comes After the International Break
The next stage will be significantly more difficult.
Iraola himself warned that Liverpool’s schedule would become demanding after the international break, with major Premier League opposition, Champions League football and a Carabao Cup meeting with Chelsea packed into a short period.
That is when Liverpool’s new defence will face its real examination.
Three clean sheets against Ipswich, Fulham and Bournemouth are valuable.
But sustained success requires the same defensive concentration against elite attackers and Champions League-level opponents.
That is where Jacquet’s partnership with Van Dijk will be particularly important.
Can Liverpool defend large spaces against elite pace?
Can Jacquet maintain concentration when opponents deliberately target him?
Can the defensive line remain compact when Liverpool’s press is bypassed?
Can Jacquet continue to improve physically as the schedule becomes heavier?
Those questions remain unanswered.
But Liverpool now have evidence that the answers could be encouraging.
Liverpool’s New Defence; What Jérémy Jacquet Could Mean for Liverpool
The biggest mistake would be to describe Jacquet as the player who has suddenly fixed Liverpool’s defence.
Football rarely works that simply.
Liverpool’s defensive improvement is the product of several factors: better continuity, stronger communication, improved physical adaptation, goalkeeper performances, full-back positioning and a clearer understanding of Iraola’s demands.
Jacquet is one piece of that puzzle.
But he may be an unusually important one.
His age gives Liverpool a long-term project.
His physical profile suits the Premier League.
His early performances suggest he can adapt quickly.
His partnership with Van Dijk is developing.
And his first senior France call-up indicates that his progress is already attracting attention beyond Anfield.
Most importantly, Liverpool’s results are beginning to reflect the defensive stability.
The Reds have remained unbeaten in their opening five Premier League matches, while Iraola has won four and drawn three of his first seven matches in all competitions.
That is not enough to draw conclusions about where Liverpool will finish the season.
It is, however, enough to suggest that the foundations are being laid.
Liverpools New Defence Could Become Iraola’s Biggest Weapon
Liverpool’s attacking signings may attract the headlines.
Alexander Isak’s goals will dominate social media.
Florian Wirtz’s creativity will generate tactical discussion.
Bradley Barcola and the club’s other attacking options will inevitably attract attention.
But title challenges and deep Champions League runs are rarely built on attacking talent alone.
They require defensive reliability.
And that is why Jérémy Jacquet’s emergence matters.
He does not need to become the next Virgil van Dijk.
He needs to become Jérémy Jacquet — a centre-back capable of defending aggressively, progressing the ball, surviving Premier League transitions and developing alongside one of the game’s most experienced defenders.
The early evidence suggests that process has already begun.
SEE ALSO: Liverpool Squad Depth: What the Tottenham Win 3-1 Revealed Beyond the First XI
Liverpool’s new defence is not finished.
But for the first time this season, it is beginning to look like something with an identity.
And if Jacquet continues to develop at this speed, the £60 million investment that initially looked like a bet on the future could become one of the defining pieces of Liverpool’s present.
What do you think? Is Jérémy Jacquet already becoming Liverpool’s long-term defensive partner for Virgil van Dijk? Share your thoughts in the comments.
