Liverpool have a £56m decision to make over Jarell Quansah, with terms already agreed that would allow the defender to return from Bayer Leverkusen. The 23-year-old, who left Anfield in the summer of 2025, is attracting interest from Arsenal and Real Madrid, but the Reds hold a buy-back clause that runs until the summer of 2027.
Buy-back clause and pre-contract
The initial £35m agreement with the Bundesliga side included a buy-back clause and a pre-contract with the player, making any return straightforward. There would be no need for protracted negotiations with Leverkusen or concerns over wage demands. Liverpool always believed Quansah had the talent to become an England regular, a prediction he has fulfilled by starting games at the World Cup and featuring in the current Nations League break.
Quansah, who can play at right-back or centre-back, admitted in April that his move was an easy choice. "To be honest, I wouldn't say it was the hardest decision because I just wanted to play," he said. "I felt like I could play at the top level, the Bundesliga's a top league and being able to play in the Champions League and play top games. I think you just have maybe a gut feeling. Sometimes you can't think about it too much and listen to too many people to be honest, because you can listen to a few things and get persuaded."
Potential return and current options
The buy-back fee decreases each year, and the idea of re-signing Quansah for £56m next summer has been floated. With Virgil van Dijk, 35, in the final year of his contract and yet to begin talks over a new deal, the possibility of a return is worth exploring. Quansah started at right-back for England on Saturday as they beat Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka.
Liverpool took Ronald Araujo on loan in August with a £47m fee to make the move permanent. The 27-year-old Uruguay international has started at right-back for a side that has kept three successive clean sheets for the first time since the start of the 2024/25 season. For a similar fee, Quansah would be a younger centre-back option who could also operate at right-back.
Settled defence
The Reds appear set in their centre-back department. Jeremy Jacquet has impressed at senior international level with France, Giovanni Leoni is closing in on a return, and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, on loan at Levante, is now eligible for a UK work permit. Mor Talla Ndiaye is another young option, alongside Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Araujo. Quansah, at £56m next summer, remains a potential option, but the centre-back department is as settled as it has been for quite some time.
