Jarell Quansah has emerged as a potential target for Chelsea ahead of the January transfer window as Xabi Alonso looks to bolster his backline.
Jarell Quansah of England looks on during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between England and Spain at Wembley Stadium on September 26, 2026 in London, England
Jarell Quansah has been linked with Chelsea.(Image: Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
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Chelsea appear to have entered the market for a defender after a turbulent start to the new Premier League season. Although the Blues have managed to score more goals than any other team in the English top flight so far this term, bar two, they're yet to keep a clean sheet.
In fact, Xabi Alonso's side have conceded more goals than any other team. So, in a desperate effort to plug his leaky backline, the Chelsea manager appears to have set his sights on the signing of a new centre-half ahead of the January transfer window.
According to German outlet Bild, the Blues have approached Bayer Leverkusen to enquire about the availability of Jarrel Quansah, whose contract at the BayArena expires in June 2030. The report claims Chelsea face strong competition from Real Madrid in the race for the 23-year-old's signature.
It's said that Los Blancos have previously shown 'great interest' in Quansah and have monitored his progress in Germany 'very closely'. Bild add that Jose Mourinho wants to add at least two new defenders to his squad next summer, and the England international has been identified as a target.
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Anfield has also been mooted as a potential destination for Quansah, who Liverpool sold to the Bundesliga outfit for £35million in August 2025. The German outlet reckons the Reds have until June 2027 to activate the option to re-sign the Englishman for €70m (£59.8m), which should give Chelsea an idea of how much he could go for.
So, with that being said, journalists at football.london have debated whether the Blues should sign Quansah.
Kieran King
While I rate Jarell Quansah, I don't think he is needed at Chelsea right now. Josh Acheampong is more than an adequate back-up for Wesley Fofana on the right side of Xabi Alonso's back-three, and even if the latter does leave the Blues in January, the club should be looking to strengthen the starting XI, rather than the squad.
For me, picking between Quansah and Acheampong would be a toss up for that right centre-back role, whereas if they went for Benfica's Tomas Araujo instead, I think that decision would be more clear-cut. Araujo, 24, is one of the most talented defenders in world football and could be a smart signing for a Premier League club.
So, all in all, I think Chelsea should avoid signing Quansah and instead look at promoting Acheampong or upgrading that position with Araujo, who for me is a much better all-round player than the ex-Liverpool man.
Bobby Vincent
This deal only makes sense if Wesley Fofana leaves. If that is the case next summer, or in January (although that appears unlikely), then I'm all for it. If not, though, then do Chelsea really need to spend however much on Quansah when Josh Acheampong is already at home?
Quansah is a talented defender and a bit further ahead in his development than Acheampong, but the latter, in my opinion, has a higher ceiling than the former.
We've heard from Chelsea insiders for a couple of years now regarding how highly rated Acheampong is by senior officials at the club. Great, but now the Blues need to show it; signing Quansah would go against what we've heard.
If Quansah is a Fofana replacement, yes, if he is an addition to the current defensive options, then no.
Aaron Morris
Is Jarell Quansah really needed at Chelsea at the moment? I ask myself the same thing about any of the Blues’ transfer targets - considering the squad overhaul they complete each summer in a bid to bolster their chances of challenging for the Premier League title, only to fall miserably short.
Of course, there’s no denying that Quansah would be a valuable acquisition considering the job he is currently doing with Bayer Leverkusen. And let’s not forget that the versatile centre-half already has a wealth of experience in the English top flight considering his breakthrough with Liverpool in 2023.
However, Chelsea really should be prioritising a new central midfielder in the January window, given they failed to secure a suitable replacement for Enzo Fernandez following his £125m deadline day move to Manchester City. The falling through of Lamine Camara’s move from Monaco to Stamford Bridge has thrown a spanner in the works in the heart of Xabi Alonso’s midfield - and that needs to be addressed as soon as possible should the head coach hope to swim rather than sink in his new role.
Jake Stokes
Chelsea should not sign Jarell Quansah. Although the Bayer Leverkusen defender would be an upgrade on Wesley Fofana on the right of a back-three, Josh Acheampong would be a much better option.
If the Blues are prepared to splash the cash in the January transfer window, they should first focus on replacing Enzo Fernandez. Although Xabi Alonso needs to fine-tune his leaky backline, many of Chelsea's defensive woes will disappear once they address the imbalance in the middle of the park.
The absence of Moises Caicedo, who's been nursing a knock, has certainly given the Blues a wake-up call. The Chelsea vice-captain cannot be relied upon solely to win the midfield battle; he needs support from a top player who's just as capable of grabbing a game by the scruff of the neck, in and out of possession.
Ultimately, the Blues should sign a replacement for Fernandez before they begin thinking about beefing up the backline. Still, when Alonso plans to bolster the defence, he needs a world-class centre-half who will take Chelsea to the next level – like Virgil van Dijk did when he joined Liverpool all those years ago.