After 17 years rising up the ranks at Liverpool, Jarell Quansah has made the switch to Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that was right for all parties.
Quansah joined Liverpool at the age of five, signed his first professional contract in 2021 and made his senior debut under Jurgen Klopp in 2023.
The centre-back went on to play 58 times for the club and earned himself a Carabao Cup and Premier League winner’s medal for his efforts.
• READ: ‘I lived that dream’ – Quansah’s classy message after Liverpool exit
The centre-back was one of the leading examples in trusting young players and formed part of the legacy left behind by Klopp, even if his future is now to be written elsewhere.
The 22-year-old may have only signed a new long-term contract in October, but his transfer represents a smart move by the club and the player.
Lack of trust from the opening game
The 2023/24 season was Quansah’s breakout at Anfield, he made 33 appearances across all competitions and offered serious competition for consistent starter Ibrahima Konate.
Before that, he had never played for the Liverpool first team and would have been an unknown entity for a lot of supporters, but he formed part of a memorable campaign for Klopp’s kids.
He seized his opportunity when Virgil van Dijk was sent off at Newcastle and after Joel Matip‘s ACL injury, and at just 20 impressed with his composure and front-footed nature.
There were windows into the growth still to be undertaken, though, with the trip to Old Trafford underlining that – but he went on to start five of the last six matches of 2023/24 over Konate.
The transition to Arne Slot raised questions over what role he would have under the Dutchman, and a start on the opening day at Ipswich had, at first, suggested he was picking up from where he left off.
We know now that was not the case.
After being subbed at half time for losing too many duels, Quansah would start just one of the next 12 matches and that was in the League Cup win over West Ham. Message firmly delivered.
An error at Brighton in his next start, which also led to a substitution, compounded his woes and status under the new head coach.
“The only issue he has at the moment is if he has a moment that is not perfect, it immediately leads to a goal,” Slot assessed at the time.
“For him, it’s that last step maybe to make, which he’s already shown in the past he can play without making these small mistakes.”
One did not struggle to read between the lines and sense the distrust from Slot, who later opted for Joe Gomez as his starting centre-back when Konate was sidelined by injury in December.
In the end, Quansah started just 13 times last season and only four came in the Premier League, including the opening day and two once the title had already been clinched.
It is merely a nod at the growth the 22-year-old has ahead of him rather than a damning indictment of his quality, Leverkusen would not have made him their record transfer if that was the case.
Quansah’s transfer aligns with his career status and the position Leverkusen and Liverpool find themselves in, the former a rebuild after Xabi Alonso’s departure and the latter competing for every trophy.
A move at the right time
Liverpool could be criticised in years gone by for not capitalising on the highs of their fringe players, Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams immediately spring to mind.
That is not the case with Quansah, though, after they agreed to a £35 million deal as pure profit thanks to him having risen up the ranks after joining as a five-year-old.
The funds can be injected back into the squad for a replacement that is ready to slot seamlessly into Slot’s side in their pursuit of trophies, which currently looks to be Marc Guehi.
The Reds’ replacement will have the trust of Slot, something Quansah lacked, and that will afford more flexibility with centre-back rotation and increased competition namely for Konate.
Although it is a shame to see another academy graduate move on, for the club it is a transfer that will help capitalise on the present while also holding on to the possibility of him returning with a buy-back clause (worth €60m).
As for Quansah, it avoids another season where he is not deemed good enough to be a regular starter in the Premier League, instead he will be expected to feature prominently in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Leverkusen’s new No. 4 arrives as a Premier League and U21 Euro winner and his role in their rebuild will boost his chances of impressing Thomas Tuchel for next summer’s World Cup.
“The ambitious targets here were clearly explained to me during the negotiations,” Quansah said during his unveiling. “It’s a great role and challenge for me to be part of the current Leverkusen rebuild.”
Quansah is strong on the ball and has no fear of throwing himself into a contest and his obvious potential, now and for the future, is underlined by the fee that has been paid for his services.
His transfer at Leverkusen comes at the right time for his development and for Liverpool’s position to build on their Premier League success and create a squad in Slot’s image.
