The transfer saga of Alexander Isak is possibly the worst-kept secret of the current year. Rumours are flying around about moves to both Arsenal and Liverpool.
However, an interesting development that has emerged from these rumours is that Newcastle are now in the market for a center-back. And according to the Mirror, they have their sights set on Liverpool’s 22-year-old prodigy, Jarell Quansah.
The North-Eastern outfit seems to have a specific type when it comes to their wants and needs at the center-back position. Dan Burn is the current mould, standing at six-foot-seven, allowing Newcastle to be deadly from set pieces on both ends of the pitch. Liverpool found out, to their detriment, during the Carabao Cup final before the March international break. With Jarell Quansah towering at an impressive six-foot-five at the young age of twenty-two, you can understand the interest in the Englishman. That is before you even consider his skill on the ball and defensively, both with his aerial and ground duels.
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Liverpool have issues to resolve at the center-back position. Current club captain Virgil van Dijk has yet to agree on a new deal with the club, while his center-back partner, Ibrahima Konate, is about to enter his final year of this deal this Summer and also has yet to agree on an extension. It would seem to be unwise by all accounts to allow Quansah to leave for anything other than an exorbitant fee.
Interestingly, when you dive into the numbers related to Quansah, the 22-year-old he compares eerily similar to his current teammate, Virgil van Dijk. Albeit a 25-year-old version of him. Massively impressive for an academy kid who only joined the senior squad last season following loan spells in the lower divisions of English football.
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With Newcastle currently sniffing around for a possible transfer, and Liverpool having recently signed the youngster to a long-term deal, it would seem very foolish to just let Jarell leave for a meager fee of £30million.
You are never going to find another talent similar to Quansah, with the same physical profile and the bonus of being a home-grown player, for £30m.
Arne Slot has yet to provide Quansah with meaningful minutes this season, despite him starting the first game of the year against Ipswich. A change at half time occurred and Ibrahima Konate reclaimed his starting position. Jarell has seen little of the pitch since.
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However, Arne was asked about this in a recent interview and responded positively to the players mental state and talent to work hard and regain minutes in the first team.
”It says a lot about his mentality, last season I think everybody saw what a talent he is. Then this season started with him starting and I changed him as we all know against Ipswich. Ibou [Konate] and Virgil were and are such a strong combination that he didn’t play a lot.” – Arne Slot on Jarell Quansah
Arne Slot went on to compliment the maturity of the young Englishman and noted his call up to the senior team for the international break.
”I think he showed in his recent performances that he’s outgrown being called a talent. That’s probably what Thomas Tuchel saw and sees as well by giving him a call-up. He did really well the last few times he had to play for us and even in a position he’s not completely used to as a right full-back. But in my opinion, he has also the qualities to play in that position.” – Arne Slot on Jarell Quansah
”He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s very comfortable with the ball and it gives us an extra quality if we play him, which we saw [against Paris Saint-Germain], in terms of set-pieces because he was the one that was this far away from us qualifying for the next round by heading the ball onto the post, because that one was not offside.” – Arne Slot on Jarell Quansah
With the summer transfer window approaching, and both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley injured, Jarell will get ample opportunity to showcase the praise being placed upon him by the Head Coach while deputising at the right-back position for the coming games. Next up is the Merseyside Derby at Anfield.
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