Liverpool and England U-21 defender Jarell Quansah is close to joining German side Bayer Leverkusen for a deal rumoured to be worth £30 million plus add-ons.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that the player has agreed on personal terms with the club, with a deal not far from being completed.
It is also thought that any deal for the 22-year-old would be separate from the blockbuster and record-breaking deal for Florian Wirtz between the two sides.
Quansah endured a difficult 2024/25 campaign under Arne Slot, making just 13 Premier League appearances. Even though he helped the Reds lift the title, his most infamous moment came on opening day, when he was substituted at half-time in Liverpool’s opening day win over Ipswich Town last season after failing to assert himself aerially.
Arne Slot was frank post-match: “Jarell lost every duel. Many of us lost too many duels. We needed Konaté to win long balls and restore control.”
Allowing Jarell Quansah to leave would be a bold move from Liverpool, who have already had a bold summer, having signed Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and nearly tying down his ex-teammate Wirtz.
Letting Quansah go would also raise questions about Liverpool’s defensive depth. With Virgil van Dijk approaching the twilight of his career, Joe Gomez battling persistent injuries, and Ibrahima Konaté yet to extend his deal beyond 2026, the Reds could be light at the back.
Premier League homegrown rules could also come into play. Clubs are required to register at least eight homegrown players in their 25-man squad, and Quansah’s departure would weaken Liverpool’s numbers on that front.
It’s expected Liverpool will now prioritise signing a new central defender, ideally someone who, in Slot’s words, “wins duels” and can immediately compete for a starting place.
A summer of change at Liverpool
Arne Slot’s second summer transfer window has certainly been more eventful than his first.
The Reds acted fast to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, confirming a deal for Jeremie Frimpong the same day as his permanent deal to Real Madrid was confirmed.
Now, attention turns to Frimpong’s former teammate Florian Wirtz. Liverpool remain firmly in pursuit of the Bundesliga champion and are reportedly prepared to break their transfer record to get a deal done, with the total fee expected to exceed £100 million.
Elsewhere, there’s talk of a major shift at left-back. Atlético Madrid are said to be circling Andy Robertson, and if he departs, Liverpool could finally complete a deal for Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, who has long been on the club’s radar.
Meanwhile, a quieter but notable addition comes in the goalkeeping department. Highly-rated Hungarian youth international Armin Pesci has joined from Puskás Akadémia in a £1.5m deal. He’ll likely be the third choice behind Alisson and new signing Giorgi Mamardashvili, following Caoimhin Kelleher’s move to Brentford earlier in the summer.
Liverpool’s rebuild under Slot is starting to take shape. Aggressive in attack, bold at the back, and willing to trust the recruitment department with tough, sometimes unpopular, decisions.