Liverpool have confirmed the signing of defender Jérémy Jacquet from Rennes, with the defender set to join the club in the summer.

Sources told ESPN the deal is worth £55 million ($74m) plus £5m in add-ons, with the 20-year-old viewed as a crucial part of Liverpool’s defensive rebuild.

Jacquet has signed a contract at Anfield until 2031, with the option of a further year.

Chelsea agreed a fee for Jacquet and didn’t expect personal issues to be a problem, but that changed when they decided to bring back centre-back Mamadou Sarr from a loan spell Strasbourg and refused offers to sell Josh Acheampong, sources told ESPN.

The 20-year-old has signed a five-year deal valid from July 1, with the option of another year.

Chelsea agreed a fee for Jacquet and didn’t expect personal issues to be an issue but that changed when they decided to bring back centre-back Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg and refused offers to sell Josh Acheampong, sources told ESPN.

Liverpool have held a long-term interest in Jacquet but talks accelerated over the weekend after it became clear the player was keen on a move to Anfield.

The signing of Jacquet aligns with Liverpool’s model of signing elite young talent, with the age of the club’s signings over the past two transfer windows averaging under 22.

Liverpool are in need of defensive reinforcements, with uncertainty remaining over the futures of Ibrahima Konaté and Andy Robertson, who are both out of contract in the summer. The Premier League champions had tried to sign Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace last summer, only for Palace to pull the plug on the £35m ($47.8m) deal on deadline day.

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England international Guéhi joined rivals Manchester City earlier this month.

Chelsea had also been interested in the centre-back however sources told ESPN he favours a move to Anfield, with personal terms not expected to be an issue.