Join AI Pro
Quansah Departure Raises Key Squad Questions
Liverpool’s approach to this summer’s transfer window was centre stage on The Red Room podcast, hosted by Grizz Khan and featuring regular contributors Lewis, Welsh Mo, Keith, and Zan. The panel delved into the club’s ongoing reshuffle, particularly the decision to part ways with Jarell Quansah and the implications that has for the Reds’ defensive depth.
Zan gave a measured assessment of Quansah’s ability, pointing to both strengths and flaws: “He does have talent. I think aerally he is brilliant… very very good at progressing the ball,” but added, “You saw the good and the bad of Jarell Quansah. The good being… the progressive play… then there were moments where England under-21 conceded and it was Quansah there.”
Photo IMAGO
The panel was unanimous in crediting Richard Hughes for inserting a buy-back clause in Quansah’s deal with Bayer Leverkusen. “Honestly speaking, having a buyback clause is a masterclass from Richard Hughes,” Zan noted.
Photo: IMAGO
For Mo, the logic was developmental: “I think moving to Leverkusen is a great move for him. He’s going to be in the thick of it… he’s not going to have someone as great as Van Dijk next to him.”
Guehi Emerges as Preferred Target
Attention quickly turned to Marc Guehi as Liverpool’s primary candidate to replace Quansah. Lewis outlined the urgency: “We can’t play the waiting game… Van Dijk’s only got two years left on his contract.” He described Guehi as “a proven leader… terrific with the ball… playing out from the back,” but admitted that he is “a bit lacklustre in the air.”
Photo: IMAGO
The Guehi fee was a central concern. Welsh Mo argued that “anything between 35 to 40 million” would be acceptable, but added, “If he’s a Konate replacement, then I think we need better.” He underlined that Guehi “was not in the top five centre-backs in the Premier League last season,” hinting at caution around overvaluation.
Zan agreed that Guehi “isn’t world class” but stressed his Premier League experience: “He’s not the big name or the big talent… but he’s Premiership proven and that’s probably the logic behind it.”
Transfer Strategy Hinges on Timing
The panellists acknowledged Liverpool’s strategy of prioritising outgoings before major incomings. As Mo explained, “We’re concentrating on the outs first, then we’ll see a lot of ins coming in.” This was echoed by Lewis, who stated: “This can’t be a situation like 2020/21… we’ve got to be proactive at centre-back.”
Grizz Khan summed up the dilemma around Guehi’s valuation: “We want to basically do a direct monetary swap in terms of Quansah for Guehi… and Palace, rightly so, want 50 million.”
With Chelsea reportedly holding a sell-on clause, the negotiation is made more complex. “Palace are going to be upping the price,” Lewis noted, urging Liverpool to act decisively to avoid losing out.
Buyback Logic Sparks Debate
The podcast also dissected the increasing use of buyback clauses in Liverpool’s transfer strategy. While Quansah’s deal was widely praised, there was healthy debate over whether such clauses should be standard practice.
Keith posed a direct challenge: “If he’s not fast enough, tall enough, strong enough, powerful enough, how is he going to become that now?” Lewis responded that a buyback clause is about insurance, not expectation: “I’d rather have the option and not need him than need him and not have the option.”
For some, however, a sell-on clause seemed more logical. “Surely sell-on clause because we can see the talent… we just don’t think he’s going to fit into Slot’s plans,” Grizz stated.
Join AI Pro