Arsenal’s Andrea Berta is holding exploratory talks with a number of potential signings ahead of the January transfer window, with the Gunners continuing to follow Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet.
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that Andrea Berta is holding exploratory talks over a number of potential recruitment options ahead of the January transfer window.
McNicholas points out that this is the same strategy Berta employed over the summer, exploring a number of potential deals before proceeding with the preferred option.
So talks with any individual player shouldn’t necessarily be taken as confirmation that Arsenal are going to make a move, but it does at least create the possibility of the Gunners formalising their interest at some stage.
On that note, McNicholas highlights that Arsenal are continuing to follow 20-year-old defender Jeremy Jacquet of Rennes. Though he adds the caveat that the player has a contract until 2029, so he’d command a significant fee.
Though this is purely speculation at this point, if there’s any deal Arsenal might want to bring forward to the January window, it could be a move for Jacquet.
The right-footed centre-back has played a few games at right-back in the past, so he could provide cover for the currently injured trio of Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, and most recently Jurrien Timber. On Saturday, Arsenal had to field Declan Rice at right-back.
Sami Mokbel of the BBC reported in August that Arsenal had Jacquet high on their centre-back shortlist, having watched him extensively.
Mokbel even suggested a summer move was possible, but that if it didn’t happen then (as it ultimately didn’t), the Gunners would continue to monitor the player for a possible future move.
Rennes always considered Jacquet to be unsellable in the summer window, and it remains to be seen whether their stance has changed ahead of January.