Chelsea transfer news: Jeremy Jacquet terms 'agreed' as Blues learn record-breaking asking price

Chelsea have reportedly agreed personal terms with Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet and have learned how much it will take to prise him away from Roazhon Park.

The Blues had identified the centre-back area as a priority for the January window and quickly settled on 20-year-old starlet Jacquet - also linked with Arsenal - as their number one target.

Earlier this weekend, it was claimed that Chelsea were readying a bid of around £43.4m for Jacquet, who is keen to take the next leap in his career with Liam Rosenior's men.

That amount would not have satisfied Les Rouges et Noir, though, and according to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have now been told Rennes' asking price for the 2005-born defender.

Chelsea 'learn Jeremy Jacquet asking price' as personal terms agreed

The Italian journalist claims that the Ligue 1 side want around €65m (£56.3m) to sell the centre-back, whom they are determined to make their most expensive departure of all time.

That title is currently held by Jeremy Doku, who signed for Manchester City from Rennes in a £52m deal in 2023, and Jacquet would also be sold for a higher fee than Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Eduardo Camavinga.

Chelsea are not hitting Rennes' asking price at the minute, although they have now shaken hands on personal terms with Jacquet and have prepared a contract for the France Under-21 international.

Romano adds that the Conference League winners have been on a 'mission' to France to lure Jacquet away from Rennes, who have the 20-year-old under contract until the end of the 2028-29 season.

Jacquet has set up one goal in 29 senior appearances for Rennes in all tournaments, starting 16 Ligue 1 matches in the 2025-26 season as Les Rouges et Noir lie sixth in the table.

Jeremy Jacquet to Chelsea: Immediate issue arises with January transfer

A 6ft 3in, 20-year-old defender fits the Chelsea bill to a tee, and Jacquet could prove an incredibly useful addition amid Wesley Fofana's fitness woes and Axel Disasi's exile, as well as uncertainty over Benoit Badiashile's future.

Jacquet is not Premier League-proven of course, but the youngster is strong in the air, has completed 75% of his long passes over the past 365 days and also ranks in the top 10% of centre-backs in the big five European leagues for combined tackles and interceptions over that time.

However, the centre-back has already served two separate Ligue 1 suspensions this season, one for a red card and another for accumulating five yellow cards.

Jacquet missed Sunday's showdown with Le Havre due to his totting-up of yellow cards, while Chelsea have also become renowned for their lack of self-control this season, collecting seven red cards in all competitions.

The Blues are unsurprisingly bottom of the Premier League's fair play table and also rank fifth for top-flight yellow cards with 49, so the coaching team must work to stamp out his indiscipline lest he exacerbate the problem.