Virgil van Dijk x Alan Hansen: Jeremy Jacquet fits fabric of Liverpool as Reds legend explains best qualities of £60m ball-playing defender

Having been acquired for £60 million ($80m), with that deal being agreed during the winter transfer window, the confident 21-year-old has slotted seamlessly into the fold at Anfield. He has quite literally hit the ground running in English football.

An eye-catching collection of pre-season performances helped to raise excitement levels among a loyal fan base, with those standards being carried over into the start of Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup competition.

Unbeaten Liverpool have three clean sheets to their name through seven outings in all competitions, with Jacquet settling quickly alongside club captain Van Dijk. He is considered to boast many of the qualities that have made a Dutch colleague one of the very best in the business.

His ability on the ball can also be compared to the likes of European Cup-winning legend Hansen, with the Reds famed for boasting players across their backline that are as comfortable in possession as they are winning it back.

Asked for his take on Jacquet and whether the French starlet appears to be following in the footsteps of some iconic figures, ex-Reds midfielder Houghton - who was speaking in association with IrishBetting.ie - told GOAL: “He's another one who likes a tackle. I like that about him, he's very competitive. Even when he got a yellow card against Fulham, they didn't panic, did they? Some managers go, ‘oh, no, we better get him off in case we go down to 10’. That wasn't the case, just let him get on with it.

“What I see in him is a real competitor - good in the air, good leader, good talker and really enjoying his football. He passes the ball crisply - when you've seen him playing into the midfield, he hits it in with pace, or the right pace for the player to take control.

“I think he's been really good at the start. I saw him in one pre-season game, he was brilliant when he played, and he just looks like he's a natural. He's really enjoying his football, good addition to the club.”

While welcoming the potential of Jacquet into their ranks, Liverpool have also acquired the pedigree of Ronald Araujo. The experienced Uruguayan has joined on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

He is more accustomed to operating at centre-half, but has been providing cover at right-back for Reds boss Andoni Iraola. He is another to have caught the eye of Houghton, with the former Republic of Ireland international adding: “I think he's really made Liverpool more solid defensively. They look physical now, whereas before I didn't think they were as physical. I think certainly now that isn't the case.

“I watched him in the game against Fulham, where they came off the back of the Atletico Madrid game, so he wasn't getting forward as much because he's not a natural full-back, but I tell you what - a competitor, wins his headers, wins his tackles, likes a tackle, which we don't see in football that often, and he does it nice and simply.

“And also for your winger it's great because if he just gives you the ball, then you can get on with doing your bit of magic, you're not worried about him overlapping you all the time and you have to keep on the cover, you know he's going to just back you up more often than not and let you get on with your job.

“I think for the winger, whoever's playing on that right-hand side, that should be a godsend to the - get on with your job and get some crosses into the box, beat your full-back, little one-twos, whatever the case may be, but then you know what your strengths are and you know what his strength is.”

Liverpool headed into the first international break of 2026-27 sat sixth in the Premier League table, with nine points being taken from five fixtures. There is the promise of more to come from them as a collective.

With Jacquet and Araujo impressing at the back, while £125m ($167m) Swedish striker Alexander Isak rediscovers his spark in the final third, the Reds will return to action on October 11 when taking in an eagerly-anticipated home date with league leaders Manchester City.