Bayer Leverkusen have entered active negotiations to sign English-born Ghanaian centre-back Jarell Quansah from Liverpool, according to a report from Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, as the German champions search for a replacement for Jonathan Tah, who has joined Bayern Munich.
Quansah’s future at Anfield has become increasingly uncertain following a season of reduced involvement under new manager Arne Slot. After a promising breakout campaign under Jürgen Klopp in 2023/24, the 22-year-old struggled for minutes this past season. His appearances dropped from 31 to 25 across all competitions, with just 13 starts compared to 17 in the previous campaign.
In the Premier League, his total minutes fell dramatically — from 1,190 minutes in 17 matches to just 488 minutes in 13 outings — as Slot consistently leaned on the more experienced pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté in central defence.
Despite public praise for Quansah’s potential, Slot’s selections indicated a lack of trust in the youngster for high-stakes games. That has now opened the door to a possible move abroad, with Bayer Leverkusen keen to bring in the defender as they look to bolster their backline for another title challenge.
Negotiations between the two clubs are said to be ongoing, though sources have clarified that the potential deal for Quansah is independent of any talks involving Liverpool’s interest in Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.
From Liverpool’s perspective, any sale of Quansah would represent 100% profit, given his homegrown and club-trained status, having joined the Reds’ academy at the age of five. However, his long-term contract signed in October 2024, which ties him to the club until 2030, means Liverpool are in a strong negotiating position and are unlikely to let him go for cheap.
Quansah, who is also eligible to represent Ghana at international level despite playing for England’s youth teams, is still viewed as one of the most promising young centre-backs in English football. A move to Leverkusen could offer him a fresh start and regular top-flight football in a system that has nurtured the growth of many young stars.
As talks continue, both Liverpool and Leverkusen will weigh the long-term implications of the move — while Quansah himself may soon be faced with a career-defining decision between fighting for his place at Anfield or embracing a new chapter in the Bundesliga.
