Bayer Leverkusen's Quansah Remains Composed and Carries On in His Gradual Ascent to Football Fame

"To an observer, it seems crazy," Jarell Quansah remarks, as he reflects on his recent summer, when rapid transformation felt like a constant. "But it is one of them ... football is a unpredictable game."

A Quick Recap

Days after winning the U21 European Championship with the English national team at the conclusion of June, Quansah decided to leave Liverpool, to go to Bayer Leverkusen in a £30m deal.

The significant transfer sum equalled big pressure as the 22-year-old was charged with finding his feet in a new country and at a team where the turnover was dramatic. The new manager had stepped in to replace the previous coach and a number of key players were departing or already left – chief among them several high-profile names, key squad members, influential figures, Amine Adli, Granit Xhaka, established players and Jonathan Tah.

League Introduction

Quansah's Bundesliga debut came on August 23rd at their home ground to Hoffenheim and the central defender found the net after five minutes, albeit the goal was overshadowed by tragedy. All he could think about was his former Liverpool teammate, who was killed in a car accident. Quansah executed Jota's gamer celebration as a tribute.

"Scoring on your Bundesliga debut, at home, after the opening moments, is certainly a rollercoaster," Quansah states. "But my overwhelming feeling was that it was a homage to Diogo."

Initial Struggles

The defender could have been excused for questioning what he had committed to at Leverkusen. After the encouraging beginning in their opening league fixture, they succumbed to a narrow loss and the following game on August 30th was equally disappointing. The squad squandered comfortable advantages to finish level at their reduced opponents, the equaliser coming in added time. It was no longer his responsibility for much longer. His dismissal came on September 1st.

Maintaining Composure

Quansah does not come across as the kind to worry. If calmness characterizes his playing style, it was on show during the conversation he gave after joining the national team for the Wembley friendly against their rivals and the qualifying match against Latvia.

Quansah has remained focused under the new Leverkusen manager, Kasper Hjulmand, and persisted in doing what he originally planned to do at the team – play. The new manager has brought stability. His team have positive results in four league matches along with draws in each of their Champions League ties. But there is a more significant number that motivates the player, even bringing a measure of vindication. It is the fact that demonstrates he has been ever-present of the club's campaign.

International Recognition

It is something that Thomas Tuchel has noted. The England head coach was a fan previously, including him when he announced his initial selection. After leaving him out in June so that Quansah could focus on the Under-21 European Championship, he gave him a last-minute inclusion in the autumn when John Stones was compelled to pull out.

Still to win his international debut, Quansah must have done something right in training and within the squad environment because he was selected at the beginning in Tuchel's squad selection for Wales and Latvia, effectively as a additional defensive option with Stones fit again. The dream is a first appearance. It is another thing he would certainly handle with ease.

Decision Making

"With my new club, the team were interested in me for a while and that's not only from the coach," Quansah explains. "They were interested prior to his arrival. So knowing it was a type of internal decision and nothing would change with whatever coach was to take over ... it was easy for me to choose this path.

"We had a numerous squad members leaving and it's consistently challenging when you lose key players. It has been tough to build the leadership groups but the outcomes we have had recently show that we have got a good squad with talented individuals. It is going to take time to develop and we are not where we want to be. But if we are getting results and not losing that is a solid foundation to begin from."

Liverpool Departure

It had to have been a difficult separation for Quansah to depart from Liverpool, his team since childhood, where he experienced so many memorable moments – such as the league cup triumph over Chelsea in the previous season when he was introduced as an extra-time substitute.

Quansah was also involved in last season's domestic championship success. Yet his view of much of that was not the perspective he would have chosen. He was an non-playing reserve on multiple matches in the league, his four starts and nine appearances comparing unfavourably with his statistics from 2023‑24 when he started nine games.

Professional Growth

"I've always learned off top-level professionals around me at Liverpool and it's been so good for my professional development," he says. "But as a young centre-back, you require match experience and I'm will require hundreds of games to be at my desired level.

"I just wanted game time and when you are at a team like Liverpool, it's not guaranteed because there are elite performers all over the pitch. I wanted an environment where they can trust that I might make mistakes at times but they will see beyond that and see I can keep pushing and improving."

Early Experience

Quansah remembers his temporary transfer to the lower division club in the later part of that season where he debuted at professional level – multiple matches, to be precise. There were "multiple reality checks", he notes with a smile, beginning with his debut; a heavy loss at their opponents.

"That was a genuine revelation," Quansah reflects. "It proved a really valuable part of my career because I wanted to make the next step to regular senior competition. Every game I gained fresh insights. That's when I understood how crucial practical knowledge and match practice was. You could say it influenced my choice in the off-season."