Chelsea prepare £43 million opening bid for Jeremy Jacquet as Rosenior's first signing

Liam Rosenior is reportedly close to landing his first signing as Chelsea boss as the club prepare to make a bid for defender Jeremy Jacquet.

The Blues' defence has been a point of concern, particularly after key player Levi Colwill suffered a serious knee injury before the season began.

The absence of the England international has been keenly felt, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, and Wesley Fofana struggling to consistently fill the void.

According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have identified three potential targets to strengthen the squad for new manager Liam Rosenior, whose primary goal is securing Champions League qualification.

Rennes star Jacquet is believed to be the top priority, with Chelsea said to have initiated direct talks with the Ligue 1 side. A bid in the region of £43 million is reportedly being prepared.

Chelsea's search for a new defender dates back to the summer, when they unsuccessfully tried to sign Dean Huijsen before he moved from Bournemouth to Real Madrid.

While the London club appears to be leading the race for the 20-year-old Jacquet, who has made 16 league appearances this season, they may face competition from Bayern Munich, who recently missed out on signing Marc Guehi from Manchester City.

Regarding potential departures, the future of 19-year-old academy graduate Tyrique George remains uncertain.

A deadline-day move to Fulham fell through, and when asked about the player, Rosenior stated, "The honest answer is I don’t know. A lot of things have to come together for a player to leave.

"You need the right offer; it needs to be right for the player. I’ve heard nothing in terms of Tyrique."