Real Madrid move for 20-year-old CB Jeremy Jacquet - green light for January push

Real Madrid have intensified their watch on 20-year-old center back Jeremy Jacquet and are preparing the next steps for a January move. Club scouts have tracked him repeatedly this season, with positive internal reports highlighting pace, anticipation and composure on the ball. The idea on the table is simple: wrap up a deal early, then decide between an immediate integration or a short loan to ease his transition. With Madrid seeking a young, high-ceiling defender to balance experience around Rudiger, Militao and Alaba, Jacquet ticks tactical and financial boxes. Confidence at Valdebebas is growing that this will move quickly.

Multiple European market sources indicate Real Madrid’s scouting department has been in France in recent weeks to evaluate Jeremy Jacquet at close range. The interest aligns with Madrid’s post-Yoro recalibration toward high-upside defenders who can be secured before their prices spike. Internally, the technical staff want a fast, front-foot stopper who is comfortable defending open space and playing through pressure. That profile has pushed Jacquet toward the top of the list ahead of the winter window.

🚨 BREAKING: Real Madrid are closely watching Jeremy Jacquet (20, CB). @MatteMoretto

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

If Madrid complete Jacquet, the move neatly solves three problems at once: age balance, squad cost control and tactical depth. Madrid’s back line has elite starters, but the calendar is unforgiving and injuries over the last 18 months exposed the lack of a developmental piece ready to absorb 1,500-2,000 minutes without disrupting the wage structure. A 20-year-old EU defender comes with no non-EU slot strain and can be integrated with low friction.

Tactically, Jacquet’s main upsides - recovery speed, reading runners, and comfort carrying the ball into midfield - fit how Madrid defend longer stretches of grass. When the full backs push high and the midfield squeezes, the center backs must reset the line quickly and win duels in isolation. Reports from live scouting emphasize that Jacquet rarely panics when pressed, keeps his body shape clean when turning, and makes early decisions in the air rather than reacting late.

There is also a structural advantage. Madrid can register him with the first team or, if needed, use Castilla as a bridge while still calling him up. That flexibility reduces adaptation risk. Financially, the fee structure being discussed in the market - a manageable fixed fee plus performance add-ons and a sell-on - preserves powder for summer priorities while protecting upside if he explodes. In short, this is a squad-building play with immediate utility and long-term value.

Reaction

Fan feedback splits into two camps. One side demands a headline center back now, using names like Nico Schlotterbeck or references to the Guehi links, and questions whether another under-21 signing matches the club’s short-term ambitions. You can feel the post-Yoro sting in these replies: the fear of waiting, negotiating hard, then watching another club pounce.

The other side sees the logic. Young, fast, positionally modern, and obtainable without breaking the bank. Some point out that Madrid have consistently turned smart early bets into elite starters. The argument goes: get him in January, control the asset, then decide on minutes based on his level.

Timing is a shared theme. Many want movement in January, not vague summer talk. There’s also a clear plea for decisiveness in negotiations after the lessons of last summer. Even among skeptics, there’s openness to Jacquet if he arrives alongside a stopgap or if the plan is defined up front. In short, fans want clarity and conviction - and they want it soon.

Social reactions

Who is this now ?🤣🤣🤣

@Thato (@TrezzLife)

Here's better than Cubarsi

D☆V33D (@Mr_David_02)

Madrid clearly tracking this young center-back closely

Ali Raza (@AliDarwesh94)

Prediction

Expect Madrid to formalize contact with Jacquet’s camp and his club before the winter break, seeking a fee in a protected range with add-ons tied to appearances and trophies. A swift agreement could include one of two pathways: immediate arrival to cover depth and cup minutes, or a buy-now-loan-back until June to secure the price and maintain continuity for the player. Both routes are on-brand for Madrid when the profile is right.

Competition is likely from Germany and mid-table Premier League sides who value pace and resale. That said, Madrid’s sporting project is persuasive, and the offer of a clear development plan is often decisive for a 20-year-old center back. If talks progress as expected, a January announcement is realistic, with medicals timed around the squad’s winter schedule.

Medium term, the scenario that makes the most sense: Jacquet rotates behind Rudiger and Militao, learns the line, and grows into a 25-30 game contributor next season. If he adapts faster than projected, he pushes for more minutes by spring. Either way, Madrid get younger, quicker and smarter at the back without compromising their summer budget.

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Conclusion

This potential deal has the right ingredients: a precise tactical fit, an age profile Madrid have monetized well, and a market window that favors early movers. The club needed to turn the page after missing on Yoro and recalibrate the center back succession plan. Jacquet answers that with upside and affordability, letting Madrid control the next step instead of reacting in June.

I’ve seen enough of his game to understand why the reports are so consistent. He defends forward, reads the first pass, and recovers cleanly when play breaks. That is exactly what Madrid ask of their center backs when they squeeze the pitch. Wrap the transfer swiftly, outline the minutes map, and you give the player and the dressing room confidence.

Do it right and Madrid add a long-term pillar at a short-term cost. That is how title teams stay fresh while still winning now.