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Jeremy Jacquet adds to Andoni Iraola issue ahead of Liverpool friendly vs Monaco

· Joseph McBride · 2026-08-06 · nguồn gốc

Jeremy Jacquet adds to Andoni Iraola issues ahead of Liverpool friendly vs Monaco Andoni Iraola faces another preseason game with limited center-back options, as Jeremy Jacquet has yet to return to training ahead of Liverpool's upcoming game against Monaco Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet has yet to play a single minute in preseason and has not returned to training, with just four days until Sunday's friendly against Monaco at Anfield. Jacquet is just one of three center-backs who are currently unavailable, leaving head coach Andoni Iraola with limited options to partner with veteran Virgil van Dijk. Joe Gomez suffered an injury in Liverpool's first game of the U.S. preseason tour, and Giovani Leoni remains out. Liverpool completed the $74 million signing of Jacquet from Rennes on July 1, but he has yet to train with the first team and has been doing individual work instead. There are still 17 days until Liverpool's Premier League opener, but Iraola is concerned about rushing Jacquet back. Jacquet missed the second half of last season after requiring shoulder surgery, but had started to train with Liverpool early in preseason. However, he suffered a setback and has since been working his way back to full fitness. Iraola has been working with his Liverpool roster at the AXA Training Center, with only Alexis Mac Allister yet to report back due to his participation in the FIFA World Cup. Liverpool has upcoming friendlies against Monaco and Como at Anfield, but Jacquet remains an injury doubt. Van Dijk and Ifeanyi Ndukwe are Iraola's only healthy center-back options, with Mor Talla Ndiaye rejoining the U21S following the U.S. tour. Luke Chambers could also feature, though he is naturally a left-back. The decision to send Ndiaye back to the U21S could be a hint that Jacquet is close to returning, but there has been no official update. "He did the first part of the pre-season, let’s say, very well," Iraola said when last asked about Jacquet. "Now he’s feeling some discomfort, so we don’t want to rush him. He comes from a lot of months without playing. "And obviously I would like to try with him with Virgil [van Dijk] when he recovers, because with the injury of Joe [Gomez] we’ve been without senior center-backs. But we have to be careful with Jeremy, yes." Iraola could also use Wataru Endo as a makeshift center back, and Stefan Bajcetic, Ryan Gravenberch, and Kostas Tsimikas also have experience. Liverpool hasn't rushed to sign an emergency center-back option, and Iraola is excited about Jacquet moving forward. The new head coach already had eyes on the French defender from his Bournemouth days. "Jeremy was a player that I knew very well, even before signing for Liverpool," Iraola said last month. "Still being young, I think he has all the tools that we will need for that position. He also came into the last months of the [past] season with a shoulder injury, but he is fully healed. "He has been already training with the U21s. He’s ready to go from the beginning."