New £60m Liverpool signing Jeremy Jacquet has been assigned the number five shirt for the upcoming season, a clear indication of his intended role in the centre-back hierarchy under new head coach Andoni Iraola.
Jacquet Takes Over from Konate
Jacquet inherits the squad number previously worn by Ibrahima Konate, who despite earlier stating he would sign a new contract at Anfield, opted to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer. The 21-year-old France under-21 international officially joined Liverpool at the start of July, with the Reds having agreed a £60 million deal with Rennes in January.
The defender underwent shoulder surgery shortly after his signing was announced, ending his season prematurely. However, he is hopeful of participating in Liverpool's US tour, with the team flying out on Monday ahead of their first game against Sunderland on Saturday week.
Centre-Back Depth Chart
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is expected to be the first-choice centre-back for the start of the campaign. However, his partner remains undetermined both in the short and long term. Giovanni Leoni, who wears the number 15 shirt, has not yet regained full fitness from an ACL injury suffered last September. Iraola has indicated that Leoni faces an extended spell on the sidelines, leaving long-serving Joe Gomez (number two) as the only other senior centre-back alternative to Jacquet.
Spain international winger Victor Munoz, a £34.5 million signing from Osasuna, has yet to be assigned a squad number.
Iraola's Plans
The allocation of the number five shirt to Jacquet suggests he is being groomed for a significant role in the centre-back pecking order. With Konate's departure and Leoni's injury, Jacquet could see substantial playing time early in the season.
