Chelsea are able to let Jeremy Jacquet return to Rennes on loan for the rest of the season to assist get a deal for the French star over the road.
Jacquet, 20, is thought to be one of the promising young defenders in Europe with Arsenal also credited with firm interest. Manchester United are also admirers of the centre-half.
Chelsea nevertheless have made the primary move and have agreed personal terms with the France Under-21 international with Liam Rosenior desirous to strengthen his defensive options at Stamford Bridge for the second-half of the season.
While the player is able to make the move, the Blues are still to agree a fee with Rennes. Jacquet signed a contract extension in May but did so with the agreement that he could be sold should an acceptable offer arrive.
Chelsea are prepared to pay €50million (£43.6m) to get the deal done this month with Rennes searching for no less than £56million.
To finish the impasse, RMC Sport report the Premier League side are prepared to instantly loan Jacquet back to the Ligue 1 side for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Clubs are limited to loaning out a maximum of six players at anybody time with all Chelsea’s slots filled out as of last week. Nonetheless, the club have since recalled David Datro Fofana from his loan spell at Turkish outfit Fatih Karagümrük with the intention of selling him on a everlasting basis.
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Cashing in on Fofana will enable Chelsea to sign Jacquet and immediately send him back to Rennes.
The arrangement may appease all parties with Rennes boss Habib Beye eager to keep hold of the teenager.
‘I imagine that today he’s an important player for our objectives,’ Beye said on the weekend. ‘If tomorrow we were to let him go, we’d must lower our expectations.
‘When you may have offers from such a club, it will possibly make things a little bit hesitant.
‘I’m very firm on this example. He’s a necessary player for us.’
Chelsea’s current options on the back have been unconvincing this season with the Blues greatly feeling the absence of Levi Colwill, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in August.
Rosenior’s predecessor Enzo Maresca was left upset by Chelsea’s decision to not sign a alternative last summer. The brand new head coach refused to debate any ongoing negotiations when he spoke to the press this week.
‘I don’t talk about players at other clubs. Until something is agreed then I feel it’s so disrespectful. Whether it’s true or not. I’ll talk about it at the appropriate time.’
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