Incoming Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet is set to be fit for the start of pre-season training.The France Under-21 international has been sidelined since suffering a serious shoulder injury playing for Ligue 1 side Rennes against Lens in February.However, sources in France have indicated that Jacquet’s rehab programme following surgery is going to plan and he is expected to be available when the Liverpool squad reconvene at Kirkby in early July.The 20-year-old centre-back was hurt just a week after Liverpool agreed a fee of £55million ($74m), plus £5m in add-ons, with Rennes on the final day of the winter window. Under the terms of the transfer, it was agreed that he would stay at his boyhood club for the rest of the season before moving to Merseyside in the summer.
Jacquet, who had also attracted strong interest from Chelsea, signed a contract until 2031 with the option of a further year.Fellow Liverpool centre-back Giovanni Leoni is also on track to be available for the start of pre-season. The Italian tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup last September.Leoni, 19, who arrived in a £29m deal from Parma, is in the final stages of his rehab with head coach Arne Slot recently praising him for using the time out wisely to bulk up in the gym.Availability of youngsters key amid veteran uncertaintyWith captain Virgil van Dijk away at the World Cup with the Netherlands and unlikely to be back until late in pre-season, having Jacquet and Leoni fit will be important for Liverpool as their preparations for the new campaign crank up.There is ongoing uncertainty over the future of experienced centre-back Ibrahima Konate, whose contract expires at the end of June. The France international indicated last month that he was going to stay at Anfield, but he’s still yet to pen an extension.Joe Gomez, the club’s longest-serving player, is about to enter the final year of his contract and recently admitted that he wasn’t sure what the future held for him. He attracted interest from AC Milan last summer, having previously come close to joining Newcastle United.
