Liam Rosenior managed his first Premier League victory with a 2-0 win over Brentford at the weekend, taking his Chelsea side back into sixth place.
Chelsea’s 2-0 victory against Brentford was also their first clean sheet of 2026, with their last one coming against Everton at the start of December.
Since then, the Blues have conceded 14 goals in eight matches, struggling to limit the opposition’s chances and therefore struggling to keep the ball out of the net.
In this article, we’ll cover
Rosenior’s current CB options
The desire for a centre-back signing has been one present since the summer, when Enzo Maresca demanded a replacement for the injured Levi Colwill.
Their current group of centre-backs include Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato, with only Adarabioyo really excelling as the middle centre-back in a back three on the ball.
Two key traits Rosenior wants from his central defenders is the ability to bait pressure and play through opposition pressing schemes, and front-footed defensive qualities.
While Chelsea have plenty of defensive options, the balance is not ideal as Rosenior is often required to pick between on-ball qualities and off-ball qualities, making a sacrifice in the other area.
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Suitable roles for Jacquet
Jeremy Jacquet has played as both a right centre-back and a central centre-back in a back three for Rennes.
With Colwill unavailable, an important factor of Chelsea’s defensive centre-back signing will be the ability to play as the middle centre-back on the ball, helping to aid their build up.
Jacquet would likely start as the right-sided centre-back in a back four, then becoming the central centre-back on the ball, but it is also possible the French defender could start as the left centre-back before becoming the middle centre-back in possession.
The Chelsea directors will be looking to address their requirement for a comfortable ball playing defender, while still planning ahead for Colwill’s return, therefore any move will likely look to provide an option who can also partner the English defender on his return.
This is where Jacquet makes sense, as he gives Chelsea the desired skill set they need in the present, but also has the skill set to partner Colwill and form a formidable partnership with balanced temperaments.
Disguise and deception
The build up phase is absolutely essential for Rosenior’s central defenders, as they often get plenty of touches, tasked with luring pressure from the opposition before looking to break the lines.
Therefore, certain attributes are key in order to succeed in this role, using different surfaces of the boot to open new passing angles and disguising passes by opening their hips to deceive the opposition.
Jacquet is incredibly comfortable using the sole of his foot to lure pressure from opposition forwards, before accessing passing angles and playing with bravery to zip passes between the lines.
The French defender also has the required composure to take extra touches, trusting his ability to protect the ball and find solutions in possession to progress play.
Jacquet also has a brilliant passing range, being able to play short/medium range passes into feet, but also having the ability to perform longer range passes to switch the play.
Aggressor qualities
In terms of the defensive end, Rosenior has shown his preference to play a man oriented approach, which can see his players tracking their counterpart across the pitch, which requires a high level of athleticism and tenacity.
These are two traits Jacquet absolutely does possess, embracing his athletic traits to cover ground quickly and put opposition players under pressure by stepping out of the backline and being proactive.
Jacquet standing at 6ft’3, is extremely powerful both in the air and on the ground, having extreme reach with his long legs and good recovery pace due to his long stride.
Despite having such clear physical traits, Jacquet still possesses top defensive fundamentals, constantly looking to read offensive cues and position himself accordingly to deal with the danger.
While the fee is looking to be incredibly steep, there is a reason Jacquet is one of the most sought-after defensive prospects in Europe and Chelsea will be looking to get the deal done in January in order to avoid any competition for his signature in the summer.