It’s been a busy summer of back and forth as far as Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen are concerned. Having already put pen to paper on a £29.5million deal for Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool are believed to be closing in on a sensational £126m swoop for Florian Wirtz.
But the transfer executives at both clubs might be staying in touch throughout the transfer window, given a third player has been linked between the two clubs. However, unlike Frimpong and Wirtz, this deal could see a Liverpool player heading the opposite way to join the Bundesliga outfit.
It’s reported by Fabrizio Romano that Leverkusen are said to have Jarell Quansah on their list of prospective centre-back signings. The 2023/24 German champions lost Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich at the end of the defender’s contract, meaning they’re in the market for additions at the back.
Quansah properly made his breakthrough into the Liverpool first-team squad during Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge, but the 22-year-old found minutes hard to come by under Arne Slot. Across all competitions, Quansah featured 25 times, making only 13 appearances in the Premier League, with just four of those being starts.
Approaching a key period in his development as a player, it could be that Quansah eyes a move away from Anfield in search of more regular game time. Leverkusen, who are now managed by former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could prove the perfect place for him to do that, given their track record of producing top-level talent in Europe.
Quansah isn’t the only Liverpool ace touted with a move away from the club, with Harvey Elliott also under transfer scrutiny. Much like his team-mate, Elliott’s minutes were limited during Slot’s first season at the club, with the young Englishman making 28 appearances across all competitions.
In an interview this month, the midfielder explained that he could explore his options over the coming weeks and months. Elliott said: "After my injury, I think it was always going to be hard. I hoped I would have got some more opportunities — but football is football.
“I thought [the PSG game in which he scored a late winner off the bench] was an opportunity for me to get a start and showcase what I can do and just get a nice run out, but the boss is the boss. He's the man in charge. He's the reason why we've won the league, because of his decisions. His decisions were not to start me — I can't complain."
The first part of the transfer window has closed ahead of the Club World Cup, with business able to be conducted again from June 16 through to September 1.