United’s pursuit of “generational” French colossus under serious threat as PL rivals prepare €75m offer – report

Manchester United’s search for defensive reinforcements has taken them to Ligue 1, where the performances of Jeremy Jacquet have convinced the club’s hierarchy. The Red Devils are putting in place succession plans for Harry Maguire, whose contract expires at the end of the season. The Englishman has been in resurgent form this campaign, and has started both games under caretaker manager Michael Carrick. However, a recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that the Premier League giants are ready to let Maguire leave for free this summer. United are already searching for a suitable replacement for the veteran defender, and recent reports have suggested that they have identified Jacquet as an option. Jacquet’s rise in France Jacquet is a product of the Rennes academy and initially joined Clermont Foot on loan at the start of 2024. His temporary stay at the Gabriel Montpied Stadium was extended for an additional year later that summer, but Rennes opted to bring him back to Roazhon Park in February 2025 and drafted him into the senior side. The 20 year old has not looked back since and is now a first-team regular under head coach Habib Beye. This season, Jacquet has registered 18 appearances in all competitions for the French club, all of which were starts. Jeremy Jacquet Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Ligue 11717–411,514′ Coupe de France11—-90′ Total1818–411,604′ Source: Transfermarkt.The player’s efforts have convinced United, but he is not short of suitors at the moment. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person had mentioned interest from Chelsea, and it now appears that the Blues have stepped up their efforts to secure his signature. Chelsea want Jacquet According to Fichajes, Chelsea are ready to offer €75 million to secure Jacquet’s services this year. Rennes believe that the French defender, who is under contract until 2029, is a generational talent and they are likely to seek a club-record fee to let their prized asset leave. The Blues’ offer could be enough to convince the Ligue 1 side, whose record sale remains Jeremy Doku’s £55 million move to Manchester City. The London giants have developed a knack for picking up emerging young stars of late and already have an enviable arsenal at their disposal. The Frenchman, as such, suits the club’s transfer policy. Meanwhile, Chelsea are also looking to add more quality to their backline, which has emerged as a weak point in their squad of late, and Jacquet’s skillset makes him a superb choice for the job. The report adds that Liverpool and Bayern Munich are eyeing the young defender with interest, and neither club can be ruled out just yet. Meanwhile, a separate report from Sky Sports, as cited by The Express, mentions interest from United but states that Jacquet has his heart set on a move to Stamford Bridge. The report adds that the Blues are already locked in talks with their Ligue 1 counterparts to work out a deal. Final Thoughts United have had their eyes on emerging young footballers from across the globe of late and already have two highly talented young defenders in Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in their squad. As such, the Red Devils may not be too disheartened if they end up missing out on Jacquet. Meanwhile, United are already preparing to invest heavily in midfield this summer. As such, INEOS may not be too keen to enter a bidding war with Chelsea for the French defender. Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.