Jarell Quansah looks set to leave Liverpool once the U21 European Championship comes to a close, with the center-back currently away with England for the tournament in Slovakia.
While Jurgen Klopp was a big fan of Quansah, often playing him ahead of Ibrahima Konate in his final few months in charge, the 22-year-old has since fallen down the pecking order at Anfield. He only started once at center-back in the Premier League under Arne Slot before the title was won, and he was hooked at half-time on that occasion.
Now, with Bayer Leverkusen having come in, he will join a Champions League team that will hope to compete with Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title next season. Under Erik ten Hag, Quansah should be a mainstay in the starting XI.
Liverpool will insert a buy-back clause into the $46 million (£34 million) deal, according to Fabrizio Romano, which shows that the Reds remain aware of the player's talent. Once he develops, Quansah could return to Anfield.
And Klopp was a big fan for a reason. "I liked him from the first moment I saw him," the German said when Quansah had broken through at senior level.
"I knew he was a good footballer and it's special how calm he is on the ball. It was all about how ready he would be for adult football. Being the best in your age group means nothing. I didn't expect him to deal with it this quickly. His pre-season was super positive.
Jarell Quansah
EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 29: Jarell Quansah of Liverpool runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between PSV Eindhoven and Liverpool FC at PSV Stadion on January 29, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
"We got asked a lot about signing a new center-half. We thought about that as well, we don't ignore potential issues.
"But when we saw him, it was clear we would not go for it. We would have our own solution, without knowing how much game time he would get.
"He is now a proper, proper part of the squad and the rotation. It's not about performing, it's about sharing the intensity."
While Quansah is now heading for the exit door, Klopp could still be proven right about his talent in the long term. A buy-back clause would offer Liverpool the opportunity to bring the defender back when he has had time to kick on.
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And even if he doesn't end up back at Liverpool in the future, Quansah should have a big future ahead in the game. A permanent move rather than a loan gives him more certainty, but also swells the Reds' coffers amid a major summer of spending.
Liverpool.com says: Quansah is a big talent, hence the relatively substantial transfer fee that he has commanded, but he needs to be at a club where he can play every week, even if he makes a couple of mistakes, to make the next step.
At Liverpool, with Konate ahead of him in the pecking order, that isn't going to happen. Learning from Konate and Virgil van Dijk in training can only take you so far. At some point, you need to take the next step for yourself.