Florian Plettenberg says Chelsea is pushing ahead with more talks with Rennes for Jeremy Jacquet. Right now, he’s at the top of their shopping list for centre-backs this month, and honestly, it looks like Chelsea will have to cough up a hefty fee if they want to land him.

Chelsea have made up their mind—they need a new centre-back before the January window slams shut. They’re trying to salvage their season. That gap in defence actually opened up last summer under Enzo Maresca, after Levi Colwill went down with a serious knee injury. He’s probably out for the whole year.

Instead of fixing the problem then, Chelsea decided to strengthen other parts of the squad. They put their faith in the players they already had, even though guys like Wesley Fofana have a history of injuries. That gamble really hasn’t paid off. The team’s nowhere near the title race, and even a top-four finish looks shaky.

Fans are on board with the plan to bring in a new centre-back, and at the moment, all eyes are on Jeremy Jacquet. The Rennes youngster has been on the radar of clubs like Arsenal and Real Madrid, too, but Chelsea has been working on this deal for a while now. They’re stepping things up, hoping to beat out their rivals and get Jacquet’s signature. There’s talk that they’ve already sorted personal terms with the player, but convincing Rennes is a whole other story.

Will Rennes actually let Jacquet go? They’re keen to keep him until at least the end of the season, hoping he’ll help them push for a Champions League spot. He’s locked into a long-term contract, so Rennes aren’t under any pressure to sell. They’re in a strong position to demand a big fee.

So, Chelsea will need to put serious money on the table if they want to get this deal done. For now, talks are picking up behind the scenes, and Chelsea are hoping they can bring Jacquet to Stamford Bridge before the window closes.

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior blamed a virus sweeping through his squad for their tough second half, even as his team fought past Brentford to give him his first Premier League win.

The 2-0 score at Stamford Bridge—thanks to a goal from Joao Pedro in the first half and a Cole Palmer penalty in the second—actually made things look easier for Chelsea than they were. Brentford, managed by Keith Andrews, dominated after halftime but just couldn’t finish their chances.

Before the match, Chelsea fans protested against the owners, BlueCo, frustrated with the club’s direction. Even after the win, it was clear that problems on the pitch still need attention.

Chelsea lost control of the game almost completely in the second half. Brentford’s midfield ran all over them, and Chelsea struggled just to get out of their own end.

Rosenior pointed to the illness, which left several players unable to train, and said the win felt like clearing a big obstacle.

“It’s running through the squad,” Rosenior said. “A couple of players out there today were complaining about their chests. They gave everything. That’s why I think we weren’t great on the ball. I’m proud of the group for getting through this.”

Chelsea started well and deserved their 26th-minute lead. Michael Kayode’s clearance bounced off Enzo Fernandez and landed for Pedro, who smashed the ball home. After that, Brentford took over. Mathias Jensen and Kevin Schade both missed good chances to level the game.

Liam Delap, who missed the Carabao Cup loss to Arsenal because of the virus, came off the bench and immediately made an impact, pouncing on a poor touch from Caoimhin Kelleher to win a penalty.

Palmer slotted it home for 2-0, and Chelsea escaped. “I loved the attitude, the energy, the basics,” Rosenior said.

“When you play a good team like Brentford, what pleased me most—what you saw in both goals—was the players’ willingness to fight, to block shots, to win headers, to make tackles.

“That’s the attitude that got us the win.”

Reece James and Palmer, both just back from injury and hardly able to train, made their first appearances under Rosenior. Neither was at their best on the ball, but they still put in the work.

“No one can be brilliant on the ball every game,” Rosenior said. “But you can still find a way to win. Cole and Reece hadn’t trained. They went out there anyway and worked themselves into the ground—that’s the attitude I want to see.”

Brentford boss Keith Andrews, whose team sat fifth before kickoff, brushed off the idea that Chelsea’s spending guarantees them a higher finish.

“I don’t think spending money gets you a better player,” he said. “I just don’t see it that way.

“I’m really happy with the players we have. Igor Thiago cost about £30 million, but there are plenty of players in this league who cost more and haven’t done what he’s done.

“We were fifth going into this game, and we earned it. We haven’t had much luck—we’ve just played well.”