Iraola inherits £60m Jacquet and teenage Ndukwe as Liverpool rebuild begins

Andoni Iraola begins his Liverpool tenure with two defenders already on the books, both signed during Arne Slot’s final months in charge. Centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, a £60 million January acquisition from Rennes, and 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe, recruited from Austria Vienna, are set to be available when pre-season begins this summer.

Iraola was officially unveiled as Liverpool’s head coach on Thursday, five days after Slot was sacked. The Spaniard faces a significant rebuilding task at Anfield following the departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate, but the presence of Jacquet and Ndukwe gives him an immediate foundation in defence.

Jacquet, who turns 21 in July, is regarded as one of the most highly-rated young defenders in Europe. He is expected to be fit for pre-season after recovering from shoulder surgery. With Konate now gone, the Frenchman could find himself in a more prominent role than originally envisaged when Liverpool first signed him.

Speaking to French newspaper Ouest-France, Jacquet explained the thinking behind his move. “I won’t say it was a quick one, because I took my time with this big step but I quickly saw myself at Liverpool,” he said. “At my age, I prioritise the sporting side. I’m focused on football. My agent told me there were two choices: either go to a mid-table club or skip the step altogether.”

Jacquet added that interest from Europe’s biggest clubs ultimately proved decisive. “If the biggest clubs in Europe are interested, we’re not going to turn them down. They’re there for a reason. The club’s history weighed heavily on my decision, but so did the project they offered me. I’m going there to play as much as possible.”

Ndukwe, a towering 6ft 6in centre-back, attracted widespread attention after starring at the Under-17 World Cup, where he helped Austria reach the final. His signing reflects Liverpool’s continued focus on acquiring elite young talent, a strategy that has also brought Trey Nyoni from Leicester City and Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea to Merseyside in recent windows.

Iraola, 43, built a strong reputation for developing young players during his time at Bournemouth, a quality that should serve both Jacquet and Ndukwe well as they begin their careers at one of England’s most demanding clubs.