Paul Joyce Confirms Liverpool’s Interest in £45m Premier League Defender | OneFootball

Liverpool Facing Defensive Crossroads as Leverkusen Eye Quansah and Guéhi Considered

Liverpool’s summer rebuild is shifting gears once more, this time at the heart of defence, as Bayer Leverkusen prepare to escalate their pursuit of Jarell Quansah. The 22-year-old, highly thought of at Anfield and still fresh off a contract extension, may find himself at the centre of a transfer domino effect, following Florian Wirtz’s impending record-breaking move to Merseyside.

Paul Joyce of The Times reported that “Leverkusen are ready to step up their interest in Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah as a deal for Florian Wirtz nears completion,” with the Wirtz move set to land Liverpool a £116 million creative force. Although negotiations for Wirtz and Quansah have been conducted separately, the timing suggests that Leverkusen’s interest in Quansah could form part of a larger strategic exchange.

Despite Liverpool not actively pushing Quansah out, the player’s limited game time last season, just 488 Premier League minutes, has prompted the England Under-21 international to weigh up his options. “Quansah remains well regarded at the Merseyside club and signed a new deal last season,” Joyce notes, but with Euro U21 duties underway, the timing of a potential move is precarious.

Photo: IMAGO

Konaté Uncertainty Fuels Market Activity

It’s not just Quansah’s status that has Liverpool considering their centre-back depth. Ibrahima Konaté, often Virgil van Dijk’s main partner when fit, is entering the final year of his contract. With Real Madrid reportedly circling, Liverpool are in a delicate position. Talks are ongoing but as of now, “talks are yet to bring a breakthrough on an extension,” Joyce confirms.

Joe Gomez’s season was disjointed by injury setbacks, and with limited appearances, he too may find himself further down the pecking order. Although Van Dijk recently signed a new two-year deal, the supporting cast in defence appears in flux. As such, strategic contingency planning is clearly underway at Anfield.

Guéhi Profiled as Quansah Replacement

Liverpool’s interest in Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guéhi is not new, but it is becoming increasingly relevant. Guéhi, who turns 25 next month and has just one year left on his Palace contract, fits Liverpool’s defensive blueprint — Premier League-proven, composed under pressure, and athletic in recovery.

“Guéhi is liked by Liverpool,” Joyce writes, adding that developments with Quansah and others will determine whether interest turns into action. Palace, wary of Guéhi’s contract situation, have begun talks with Sporting Lisbon over Ousmane Diomande. The 21-year-old Ivorian could cost Palace a club-record fee of around £40 million, indicating that they are preparing for Guéhi’s departure, possibly sooner than expected. The Englishman himself would likely cost around £45million this summer.

Photo: IMAGO

Should Quansah move to Leverkusen, Liverpool could pivot quickly to Guéhi, especially if Konaté’s renewal talks continue to stall. The dominoes are lined up — it’s just a matter of which falls first.

Leverkusen Building Ten Hag’s Vision with Quansah

Now managed by Erik ten Hag, Leverkusen are attempting to reinvent themselves with a hybrid of youth and tactical intelligence. “Quansah has been identified as a player who could improve the new head coach Erik ten Hag’s squad,” reports Joyce. A move to Germany, where English defenders like Jonathan Tah and Fikayo Tomori have found rhythm, might suit Quansah’s style and development curve.

Liverpool, however, won’t let him go easily. A fee in the region of £40 million would be needed to start serious talks, though Leverkusen are unlikely to pay that without negotiation. With Frimpong already sold to Liverpool for £29.5 million, and Wirtz close to joining him, both clubs are no strangers in this summer’s marketplace.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Jarell Quansah is the kind of player Liverpool fans root for — academy-bred, composed beyond his years and physically imposing. His ball-playing qualities and positional intelligence marked him out as one for the future. But as Arne Slot looks to mould a squad capable of defending the Premier League title, there’s little room for sentimentality. Depth is essential, but so is regular first-team experience for a player at Quansah’s age.

A move to Leverkusen could be transformative for Quansah, but risky for Liverpool if Konaté doesn’t renew or Guéhi’s move doesn’t materialise. Guéhi would be a strong addition — an England international entering his prime, with leadership qualities and tactical discipline. That said, the financial outlay may feel steep for someone potentially available on a free in 12 months.

Fans will rightly ask if letting Quansah go now is smart business, especially as he could blossom abroad and leave Liverpool short in a season that will stretch the squad across multiple fronts. Slot must balance ambition with squad harmony, and clarity is needed soon if Liverpool are to stay a step ahead in this fast-moving market.