Liverpool’s newest signing Jeremy Jacquet is due to undergo surgery on his shoulder, and the different recovery permutations have been spelled out.
The Frenchman stayed at Rennes after reaching an agreement with the Reds in January.
He wanted to finish the season out with the team before making the leap to the Premier League, but just weeks after signing on the dotted line, Jacquet suffered a serious shoulder injury that has forced him onto the operating table.
If Gakpo and Salah aren’t to blame for their poor form, then who is? 🤔
Slot was quick to move any blame away from Gakpo after being asked about one goal in nine games…
All going well, he could be back for the start of pre-season, but there’s a less favourable possibility for Liverpool to consider — one that would see him miss the start of next season.
Jeremy Jacquet could be out much longer than Liverpool expected
The most recent assessment in England was from James Pearce, claiming Liverpool expect Jacquet back for pre-season.
But a doctor who has worked in Ligue 1 paints a less encouraging picture.
He told L’Equipe: “If it’s an instability (dislocation or equivalent), you have to expect about five months for a return to normal contact, duels, challenges, and falling without problems.
“Four months for those with a rapid rehabilitation plan and six months for those with a slower one.”
That’s a far cry from the 8-12 week window provided by Pearce.
The report from the French outlet does cite the example of Marseille striker Amine Gouiri, whose recovery took half as long as expected. Let’s hope Jacquet sits on the rapid end of the rehabilitation schedule, otherwise Liverpool could be in trouble.
Liverpool need Jeremy Jacquet for pre-season
In the worst-case scenario, Jacquet wouldn’t be available until mid-September. More importantly, he would have little to no pre-season.
We saw earlier this season how much being a centre-back down hurt Liverpool. If Arne Slot is still in charge, he will be desperate to avoid history repeating.
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Without being able to develop Jacquet over the summer, it’s impossible for us to know the part he will be able to play next season. Banking on him as a second-choice centre-back is therefore a massive risk.
Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are both elite young prospects with heaps of potential, but if Slot can’t work with either of them in pre-season, how can we be sure they can contribute at this more intense level?
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