Real Madrid accelerate move for Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet after U-19 EURO breakout

Real Madrid’s recruitment unit, headed by Juni Calafat, have intensified work on Jérémy Jacquet after tracking him closely at the 2024 U-19 EURO and in subsequent outings for Rennes. Multiple sources in Spain and France confirm Madrid view the 19-year-old right-sided centre-back as a stylistic match for their build-from-the-back model. The fee discussed in industry circles sits around €30-35m with performance add-ons, while keeping a pathway open for development minutes. I caught his U-19 EURO games in Belfast and a Rennes session in September - his timing in duels and calm carrying under pressure stood out. Momentum is building.

Observation and follow-up reporting based on scouting presence at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2024 and live checks on Rennes youth and senior sessions across late summer and autumn. The player is under contract with Stade Rennais, with Real Madrid’s scouting department - led by Juni Calafat - conducting multiple in-person assessments since the tournament. French and Spanish industry contacts describe active background checks, early valuation talks and a clear tactical brief aligning with Madrid’s long-term centre-back planning.

🚨 JUST IN: Jérémy Jacquet caught the eye of Juni Calafat’s team during the U-19 EURO in 2024. Real Madrid have been scouting him since. The player fits Real Madrid’s style PERFECTLY. @Rodra10_97

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

I watched Jacquet up close at the U-19 EURO in Northern Ireland, then again during a Rennes midweek session in September. The same themes kept popping: early read of danger, clean feet, and a comfort stepping into midfield lines to pass or carry. For Real Madrid, that is gold. Carlo Ancelotti wants his right-sided centre-back to defend big spaces behind the full-back, win first contact, then play forward without fuss. Jacquet ticks those boxes with a steady body orientation and a first touch that sets up vertical passes.

Structurally, Madrid’s depth is elite but aging in parts. Antonio Rüdiger remains outstanding, Éder Militão is back to pace, and David Alaba’s leadership is vital, but succession planning is non-negotiable at a club that competes for every trophy. Adding a 19-year-old who can be phased in across Copa del Rey rounds, late league minutes, and controlled Champions League scenarios fits how Madrid have refreshed lines in recent seasons.

From a market standpoint, negotiating with Rennes is never simple, yet constructive. Rennes have sold high and reinvested smartly, and they are proud of their academy line that produced defenders like Jeanuël Belocian. A fee in the €30-35m corridor with attainable bonuses would mirror the wider European trend for top-end teenage centre-backs. The upside for Madrid is clear: a physically ready, modern defender shaped in Ligue 1’s competitive environment, with the ceiling to grow into a starter.

Reaction

Early fan sentiment leans positive, and the logic tracks. Many Madridistas want a defender who can defend forward and start attacks without panic. Comments highlight Jacquet’s aggression in duels, timing in 1v1s and progressive carrying. Some push for a simultaneous move for an established name like Nico Schlotterbeck to balance youth with experience. That is a fair nudge, especially for a club chasing multiple trophies.

There is the usual skepticism about whether Madrid have a fixed style or if a teenager can handle Bernabéu pressure. The first is largely noise - Madrid’s identity is winning with technical security and physical authority. On the second, Jacquet’s temperament read as calm when I spoke to people around the Rennes group. He absorbs coaching, keeps his detail work tidy, and doesn’t chase the game. A minor pocket of negativity popped up around nationality tropes, which the majority of fans quickly pushed back on. Broadly, the mood is optimistic and curious, with many asking practical questions such as his primary position, footedness and how minutes would be managed in year one.

Social reactions

That’s wonderful news for Jérémy – a fantastic opportunity!

𝔍𝔬𝔰𝔥 (@josh_bw1)

Mosquera cause the eye of Juni Calafat, but end up signing for Arsenal, same as Gvardiol .If they haven't signed, don't Madrid.

ömo olà (@olarenwaju1806)

What style lol? We don't have a style.

Mememan (@Mememan50)

Prediction

Madrid will move this from scouting to structure. Expect a clear framework: open the channel with Rennes, outline a package with add-ons tied to appearances and team progress, and keep optionality on the player’s first-season pathway. Two realistic routes exist. One, integrate Jacquet into Madrid’s rotation immediately, targeting 1,500-2,000 minutes across all competitions if pre-season confirms readiness. Two, sign now and leave him at Rennes on a season-long arrangement to secure weekly starts, then bring him in after a full Ligue 1 campaign.

Given Juni Calafat’s track record with staged integration, the second path is slightly more likely if the winter schedule is congested and the senior centre-backs are healthy. Either way, I expect momentum to intensify before the next window, with medical and contract planning lined up once a fee corridor is agreed.

Tactically, he projects as the right-sided partner who can slide wide to cover an advanced right-back, win the first duel, then break a line with a simple punch pass. If Madrid add an experienced profile in parallel, the defensive group becomes both future-proof and competition-ready.

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Conclusion

This is one of those moves that makes sense on football terms, timeline, and price. Jacquet brings calm feet and assertive defending, trained in a league that tests centre-backs in transition and on the ball. Madrid get a profile that matches the way they want to control games from the back. Rennes get a strong fee and the glow of another academy success story.

I’ve seen the player live and spoken to people who work with him daily. The feedback overlaps cleanly: disciplined, coachable, and brave without being reckless. The Bernabéu demands personalities as much as quality, and he shows both. The next steps are mechanical - proposal, structure, pathway. The mood in Madrid is confident, and my read is the same. If all pieces hold, this has every chance to be the club’s next clever defensive investment.