Liverpool fans are excited and want Jeremy Jacquet to make a surprise change after his France debut caught everyone’s attention.
Jeremy Jacquet made his France debut against Belgium on Monday night, and he played like a seasoned international, even though it was his first match.
Jacquet joined Liverpool from Rennes this summer for £55 million. He’s started the season strongly under coach Andoni Iraola, which earned him a spot in Zinedine Zidane’s France squad. At just 21, he has already shined alongside Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool’s first five Premier League games, and on Monday, he showed why Zidane gave him a starting place.
Even though Michael Olise’s amazing goal in the 88th minute sealed a 1-0 win over Belgium, Jacquet’s performance was a big talking point. He played confidently and skillfully, making impressive passes and showing strong physical ability.
Jacquet completed 67 out of 73 passes (92% accuracy), carried the ball 27 times, won five of eight ground duels, and made four recoveries. Fans have noticed how comfortable he looks driving the ball out of defense and making smart forward passes to start attacks.
One fan said, “Jeremy Jacquet’s skill level is so high, he could even play as a number 6.” Another added, “Call me crazy, but Jacquet could be a defensive midfielder.” A third fan joked, “Whoever changed Jacquet to a center-back has some explaining to do. He could be the best number 6 in the world for the next 10 years, and he’s only 21, so there’s still time to make the switch.”
Though he was signed as Van Dijk’s long-term replacement, Jacquet is already a regular starter for Iraola and looks set to make his mark with France, too. Reports say he might take the place of former Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate and partner with Dayot Upamecano at the back.
France will face Italy in the Nations League on October 2, and Zidane will find it hard to leave Jacquet out after his top performance against Belgium.
At Liverpool, central midfield is a big challenge for Iraola, and some fans think Jacquet might be the answer if played as a deep-lying playmaker. The question is, where would he fit best in midfield?
He could play as a number 6 alongside Ryan Gravenberch or Alex Mac Allister, freeing up Dominik Szoboszlai to play as the number 10. But this would mean dropping Florian Wirtz to the bench or moving him to the wing, which could be fair given Wirtz’s inconsistent form.
Moving Jacquet out of central defense might break up his growing partnership with Van Dijk and force Iraola to use Joe Gomez or Ronald Araujo at center-back instead.
All in all, it seems unlikely Iraola will move Jacquet to midfield soon, but it’s definitely an idea worth thinking about.