Jarell Quansah's career has flourished since leaving Liverpool for Bayer Leverkusen in a £35 million deal last summer. The 23-year-old has become a key figure for the German club and one of Thomas Tuchel's most trusted performers for England.
His remarkable progression is something Liverpool's academy director, Alex Inglethorpe, did not believe could happen. Inglethorpe told the BBC: "I've been proven wrong so many times in the past. A good example would be Jarell [Quansah] – someone who was always liked and never in danger of leaving but probably never seen in the top three in the group."
Academy pathway questioned
Inglethorpe conceded that Quansah's outstanding development might never have materialised had he remained at Liverpool in a peripheral role under Arne Slot. He added: "There are no certainties – the point of the academy is to allow them to fulfil their potential. Sometimes players need to leave to gain an opportunity. There are lots of lovely examples of boys leaving and having good careers, and I'm not convinced they would have had the same career if they stayed at Liverpool."
"The linear and most productive way is to break in, but there's different pathways that can lead back to playing for Liverpool – and that is the dream." A return to Anfield remains a possibility, as the Reds inserted a buyback clause into the deal, valued at £55 million, with personal terms already agreed.
Iraola faces City test
Two unbeaten records go on the line at Anfield this Sunday, with the stakes considerably higher for Andoni Iraola. Facing Manchester City is a massive test for the new Liverpool manager, with the match being the league leaders' first since being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules.
The Reds' early momentum sits against the backdrop of a chaotic £123 million deal for Bradley Barcola and a frustratingly sparse transfer window. As Quansah continues to shine elsewhere and details surface of a missed recruitment opportunity, Iraola needs a monumental performance against City to silence the off-pitch noise.
Henderson return chance missed
Liverpool lost a considerable amount of leadership last summer in Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson. The void left by the legendary pair should have been filled by former captain Jordan Henderson, according to Reds icon Phil Thompson.
Henderson, 36, departed Brentford for Chelsea ahead of the new campaign, with Blues boss Xabi Alonso recruiting the England international alongside Danny Welbeck. Thompson believes Iraola missed a trick in not replacing the void. He said: "I'm one of those, I'd have liked Andy Robertson to have stayed for another 12 months to sort of push Kerkez, but it's his impact that was in the dressing room. I'd have had Jordan Henderson back last summer and you go, 'Jordan Henderson?'"
"You all seen what he's done now. He was taken with England. He was taken to Chelsea by Alonso for a reason. You see what I'm trying to say in terms of values at football clubs, we've lost a lot of characters."
