Liverpool have done something for first time in eight years after failed medical, 'lies' and shock deal

It’s a market that has been successful for Liverpool’s rivals in recent years.

It’s where Arsenal signed their defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães, Manchester City recruited Jeremy Doku, Aston Villa brought in Boubacar Kamara and Necastle United prised Bruno Guimarães from. More examples can be given.

Ligue 1 has been given the unsavoury moniker ‘The Farmer’s League’ by some. Paris Saint-Germain’s triumph in the Champions League says otherwise. As does the number of players who successfully make the short trip across the English Channel to the Premier League. There is a feeling in football that France is the second-most physical of Europe’s top five divisions.

Perhaps that was a reason why Liverpool were convinced to splash out £60 million on a defender who has played just 36 times in Ligue 1. Jeremy Jacquet will become the Reds’ second most expensive defender in the club’s history when he joins from Rennes in the summer - and joint-seventh overall.

The deal represents a shift of policy from Liverpool. They have previously wanted big-money signings to be proven at the highest level. Given the cash they have spent, Liverpool must feel that Jacquet can make an immediate impact when he arrives for the 2026-27 season.

It might be somewhat surprising that Jacquet is Liverpool’s first signing from Ligue 1 for the best part of eight years. Of course, the Reds have signed Frenchmen Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike to great effect. But the duo were plying their trade in Germany at RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt, respectively.

Yet the last player who joined Liverpool from France’s top division - almost eight years ago - proved to be a huge hit. In truth, no-one saw the arrival of Fabinho coming in May 2018. Liverpool had suffered defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League final just two days before. Still, the Reds were wasting no time as they plotted to win No.6 the following campaign.

The signing of Fabinho was announced for a fee of £40 million, with Liverpool quickly replacing the out-of-contract Emre Can. While feeling of losing to Madrid was still raw, Jurgen Klopp’s side showed they were not wallowing in self-pity.

The defensive midfielder proved to be a significant upgrade on his predecessor Can. Although Fabinho took a couple of months to acclimatise, he forced his way into Klopp’s side and became a regular starter. In his maiden season, the Brazilian helped avenge the Champions League heartbreak of the previous campaign, with the Reds claiming Europe’s most coveted club prize with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

In the following campaign, Fabinho was the linchpin in the team that ended Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a league title. While his form dropped in his final season, with Fabinho departing for for Saudi Arabia side Al-Ittihad in 2023, he left as an Anfield legend.

In the same summer as Fabinho’s arrival, Liverpool tried to sign another Ligue 1 standout star. Nabil Fekir has cult status among Kopites because of how close he came to joining the club. The Reds agreed a £53 million fee with Olympique Lyonnais for attacking midfielder. He had a medical but was not signed.

It was suggested that Liverpool did not greenlight the move because of a knee cartilage problem. Fekir suggested otherwise, though, and said the transfer broke down due to his family.

"Lots of lies were told, and they affected me," he told L’Equipe in 2019: "Especially those told about my family. It hurt them and me. Especially when you know that what's being told is false.

"What was said is not the truth. My knee is good - I had a quick medical check at Clairefontaine [the headquarters of France's national team] - my knee wasn't even mentioned. If my knee had been in such a bad state, would [then-Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas] have made [a sufficient offer to keep the player]?

"But the worst thing is the idea that people could suggest that it's because of my family that the transfer didn't happen. It's a lie. But you have to live with it. You want the truth? Even I don't know - I promise you!

"I did my medical and then [Liverpool] decided not to sign me. At some point they wanted to have me believe it was because of my knee - but an excuse needed to be found. The medical tests that I did at Clairefontaine were very clear - my knee is perfectly fine and I feel fine. There are no issues at all with my knee."

Before Fabinho, Divock Origi landed from French side Lille in the summer of 2014. He definitely has cult Kop status and is another Anfield hero, with the striker scoring the second the second goal of the 2019 Champions League final - as well as six times in the Merseyside derby.

Ligue 1 has proven fertile ground for Liverpool’s recruitment. They’ll hope Jacquet is another that comes to fruition.