Liverpool: Arne Slot reacts to Jeremy Jacquet signing and issues mixed injury update before Man City

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has reacted to the signing of Jeremy Jacquet and delivered a mixed injury update ahead of Sunday's blockbuster Premier League clash with Manchester City at Anfield.

The Reds bolstered their defensive ranks on transfer deadline day with the £60m addition of Rennes starlet Jacquet, who will officially join the reigning Premier League champions in the summer window.

Chelsea initially appeared to be leading the race for Jacquet, but Liverpool stole a march on the Blues in the final hours of the window and secured the defender's services on a five-year deal with an option for 2032.

Speaking to the media before Saturday's showdown with Man City, Slot labelled Jacquet a "big talent" and waxed lyrical about Liverpool's transfer model after hijacking Chelsea's pursuit of the 2005-born talent.

"Very pleasing because he is a very big talent and maybe even more than a talent but we speak cause of his age," Slot said. "We weren't the only ones interested in him so a big compliment to those who are signing the players.

Arne Slot highlights Liverpool transfer "model" after Jeremy Jacquet signing

"We've signed such a big talent and another example of the model we are using at this club. Young, very talented players, sometimes at the start of their careers, sometimes a few years into their career, but always players that are young who can help us for the short, but definitely for the long-term.

"We've signed a lot of them, recently, and I've said many times that the long-term and even the short-term future of this club is in a very good place."

Jacquet will spend the rest of the season with Rennes before linking up with the Liverpool squad in the summer, at which point Ibrahima Konate may have departed as a free agent if he does not renew his contract.

The Frenchman at least made his return from a personal matter in last weekend's 4-1 win over Newcastle United, but Alexander Isak (leg), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (knee), Jeremie Frimpong (thigh) and Joe Gomez (groin) were unavailable.

The former three are still out for the long-term, and Slot issued a mixed update on right-backs Frimpong and Gomez ahead of the visit of Pep Guardiola's side.

"Jeremie will definitely not train this week, so he's not available for the weekend. With Joe, we have a little bit of hope that he might train Saturday.

"So not available to start but maybe available to help the team during the game, because as you know, there are not that many defenders available at the moment."

Liverpool's four right-back options assessed after double injury update

With neither Frimpong nor Gomez available from the first whistle, Dominik Szoboszlai will be the first choice to start at right-back against Man City, as he did in the thrashing of Newcastle.

However, Slot can alternatively deploy Curtis Jones in that auxiliary role, or even Wataru Endo, who formerly played as a right-back during his time in his native Japan.

Calvin Ramsay is the only other out-and-out right-back option in the Liverpool squad, but the injury-plagued Scotsman is still yet to make a Premier League appearance since his arrival from Aberdeen in 2022.