Expert claims Liverpool star ‘already one of best in Europe’ and Zinedine Zidane ‘loves’ him
Liverpool summer signing Jeremy Jacquet has been told that he is “already one of the best in Europe” and an “enormous upgrade”.
The Reds fended off competition from Chelsea to sign Jacquet from Ligue Un outfit Rennes, and the highly-rated defender officially moved to Anfield ahead of this season.
Jacquet has replaced Real Madrid newbie Ibrahima Konate, and he is already proving a significant upgrade on the former Reds star.
The France international has slotted in seamlessly alongside captain Virgil van Dijk at the start of this season, and he has also impressed for France during this international break.
Now, European football expert Andy Brassell has argued that he is an “enormous upgrade” on what came before him for Liverpool and France.
“What’s clear is that even at this early stage in his international career, he feels an enormous upgrade on the players around him,” Brassell told talkSPORT.
READ: Liverpool titles to be stripped if Man City prove Coutinho cheating?
“Ibrahima Konate has not had his best year, both with Liverpool and Real Madrid, where he’s not exactly hit the ground running. Dayot Upamecano is a great centre-back, but he has his moments where he switches off.
“I think people are absolutely blown away by how he (Jacquet) stepped up. He was good for Rennes but I don’t think you can realistically expect a central defender of more experience than him to come into the Premier League and boss it like that straight away.
“So, for someone of his age to do it is absolutely remarkable.”
“He’s everything that Zidane loves…”
Brassell has also expalined why France boss Zinedine Zidane is such an admirer of the Liverpool star, who is “already one of the best in Europe”.
“He’s everything that Zidane loves,” Brassell added.
READ MORE: Kylian Mbappe reaction to Liverpool making contact to sign Real Madrid superstar emerges
“He’s physical, he’s composed on the ball, he’s a good leader.
“And think of the players that Zidane has hung his hat on throughout his coaching career and the players that he’s been able to at Real Madrid. It’s not naive players by any stretch of the imagination.
“He expects a level of maturity more than most coaches do. And Jacquet has been able to meet that.
“So if we’re talking about him as one of the best 5-10 centre-backs in Europe already, never mind just young players.
“I think if he continues like this, this season, he’s there, definitely. There’s no doubt about it.”
READ NEXT: Top 10 things that make us giddy about Premier League return and Man City’s tour of shame
