Although Liverpool came out of the summer transfer window with an unbalanced squad, it was still a productive trip to the market.
Victor Munoz and Bradley Barcola added much-needed width and dynamism in attack, sorting out one of the most glaring problems of the 2025/26 campaign.
The real star of the show was Jeremy Jacques. What a discovery in central defence. Young and raw, the Frenchman had the potential to become one of the best players in the world.
Why did Liverpool hit the jackpot on Jeremy Jacquet?
The plan was for Ibrahima Konate to renew his contract and mentor Jacquet alongside Virgil van Dijk.
Plans change. Konate and FSG failed to agree on contract talks and he signed for Real Madrid on a free transfer (of course).
With Giovanni Leoni still rehabbing and Joe Gomez permanently injured, Liverpool’s hopes of a comeback hinge largely on Jacquet’s integration as a partner for the 35-year-old Van Dijk.
Journalist Bence Bocsak believes he is “already one of the best defenders in the Premier League”. Talented on the ball, effortlessly elegant and terrifying when defending against Premier League forwards, there’s no doubt the 21-year-old is the real deal.
His performance against France during the current international break only supported this argument.
Sure, Liverpool paid a pretty penny in January, agreeing to sign the Rennes defender for £60m, outsmarting Chelsea in the process, but his elite potential is obvious.
FSG isn’t always in the fanbase’s good books, but they struck gold with this one, and they may have already done the trick.
How Liverpool has already repeated the Jacquet masterclass
Jacquet is the real deal and Liverpool already feel like winners. It’s hard to strike gold like this, but they could pull off another market masterclass this summer.
Alisson Becker is getting old. He is a legendary goalkeeper, but the 34-year-old is no longer in his prime and managed to save just 65% of the shots he faced in the Premier League last season (despite boasting a 78% save rate during that time).
Lowest Premier League Save Percentages 25/26 | ||
|---|---|---|
Player | Programs | Save interest |
(16) Alisson Becker | 26 | 64.8% |
(17) Martin Dubravka | 35 | 64.1% |
(18) Jose Sa | 23 | 63.7% |
(19) William Vicar | 31 | 62.4% |
(20) Lucas Perry | 16 | 56.7% |
Giorgi Mamardashvili has not been very convincing since joining the club last summer. Nottingham Forest explored a deal for the Georgian at the end of the summer transfer window.
But don’t be afraid. FSG have already agreed a deal to sign Liverpool goalkeeper Lucas Brughmans from Genk this summer in a move that could rise to £30m. Just 18 years old, Brughmans is already first choice at Genk, where he remains on loan.
Brugmans is young, especially for a goalkeeper. But there is no doubt that he is one of the most talented young stars to play between the sticks. He averaged 8.44 assists per game in the last calendar year, more than any other goalkeeper in the Belgian Pro League.
His shot-stopping is also excellent and, like Jacquet, Liverpool signed the youngster knowing he could quickly become a mainstay in Iraola’s set-up.
Liverpool will take a significant step – obviously. But at Jacquet, we have tangible evidence that the subtle talent is moving right inward. The 6-foot-6 Brughmans is not only a skilled hitter, but also skilled with his feet, agile and athletic.
In Jacquet, Liverpool paid too much for a young but talented player. They paid for a prospect they knew would find his way into Iraola’s plans.
Jacquet’s rise to prominence has been impressive and there is little to say that Brughmans cannot make the same progress when he arrives at Anfield next year.
Initial readings are really promising. Mamarashvili hasn’t shown enough in a Liverpool shirt and if Alisson has some fun, he could be the latest aging superstar to make a big impact under Iraola’s wing.