Xabi Alonso spent five seasons at Liverpool as a player, between 2004 and 2009. The club later came up twice as a possible managerial destination.
Alonso was linked with the Anfield job in 2024, when Jurgen Klopp was due to leave, and again this year as pressure grew on Arne Slot. Chelsea appointed him on a four-year deal in May, and he took charge on 1 July.
Liverpool sacked Slot two weeks after Alonso arrived at Chelsea. Alonso said his decision to join Chelsea instead was “about timings”.
Now Alonso’s Chelsea have turned to a player who came through Liverpool’s academy.
According to Bild, Chelsea have made initial enquiries about the availability of Bayer Leverkusen and England defender Jarell Quansah.
Alonso is reported to rate Quansah highly and values the defender’s height and above-average technical ability.
Quansah joined Leverkusen in July 2025, after Alonso had left the club for a reported £30m plus £5m in add-ons and signed a contract until 2030.
Alonso knows the club well. He led Leverkusen to the 2023/24 Bundesliga title in the league’s first unbeaten season and added the DFB-Pokal.
Quansah made 58 senior appearances for Liverpool after his debut in August 2023.
Liverpool kept a buy-back option in the deal, which Sport Bild says they can trigger for €70m £59m by 15 June 2027.
Liverpool did not use the option this summer. In August, it was reported that the club had no plans to trigger it, even though head coach Andoni Iraola was short of centre-backs.
Bild says the “race is on” for the 23-year-old. Arsenal are still monitoring the situation after Leverkusen rejected a €65m (£55.5m) offer from the Gunners in August.
Real Madrid, another of Alonso’s former clubs, are also showing “great interest”, according to the report. Sport Bild adds that Madrid are expected to need at least two new defenders next summer.
Quansah has become a regular for Leverkusen and England. He scored four goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances last season and started at right-back in England’s 3-2 Nations League defeat to Spain on 26 September.
Sport Bild describes it as “highly unrealistic” that Leverkusen keep him beyond the summer of 2027. It considers it likely that Liverpool will trigger their option, either to bring him back or to sell him on for a profit.
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