Jarell Quansah has admitted he is in "a very good position to take the next step" in his career amid rumors of a possible summer exit.
The Liverpool defender, who is currently on England Under-21 duty, struggled to establish himself in the side during Arne Slot's first season at Anfield.
He was selected in the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign against Ipswich Town, but had to wait until after the title was sewn up to start another league game in his preferred center-back role. His appearances were limited to cameos off the bench, starts in cup competitions, and opportunities at right-back due to a brief injury crisis.
Unsurprisingly, Quansah's future has come under increased speculation, and this week he was linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen. A report in The Athletic stated Leverkusen is considering a move for the 22-year-old, who is valued at around £40 million ($54M) by Liverpool.
Speaking on Saturday ahead of England U21's group-stage fixture against Slovenia, Quansah was asked about his career trajectory.
"It’s definitely developing. I’m not getting too high or too low with anything," he said in Bratislava.
“I think I can take massive learnings from the three seasons I’ve had in professional football. From Bristol Rovers [on loan in 2023] until now, to put perspective and look back I’m in a very good position to take the next step.
"It comes with working hard and staying focused on what I can control. As for the future, it’ll put me in the best stead if I just keep my head down and keep working."
Quansah is expected to start against Slovenia on Sunday, as he did in Thursday's 3-1 victory over Czech Republic. The Liverpool defender played the full 90 minutes, with Liverpool teammate Harvey Elliott netting the opener and Tyler Morton also coming off the bench.
Jarell Quansah passes the ball during an England Under-21 session
Quansah is currently with the England Under-21s/
In total, the academy graduate made 25 appearances for Liverpool this season, only 13 of which were starts. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate began the majority of games at the heart of defence, although Joe Gomez deputized when the latter was injured across six Premier League matches in December.
Slot selected Quansah at right-back for the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United in March and admitted at the end of the season that he needed to add more "consistency" to his game. The Liverpool head coach referenced on several occasions how he views the Warrington-born defender as part of his future plans.
"He is fast, strong, good on the ball and has all the qualities, and he has already shown that, to play as a center-back for this club," said Slot. "But the biggest part of us winning the league is consistency and that is the most difficult part for a younger player to get."
Quansah played the full 90 minutes in defeats to Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion after the title was wrapped up.
He was heavily linked with a move to Newcastle last year, but reports this week have indicated Leverkusen is a more likely destination for the defender, with Liverpool not planning to sell the player. That stance could be tested by a significant offer.