Jarell Quansah is unlikely to return to Liverpool anytime soon despite recent links with his former club.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are not planning to bring Jarell Quansah back to Anfield in the near future, despite their growing desire to strengthen the right-back position.
The 23-year-old completed a £35 million move to Bayer Leverkusen last summer after Arne Slot decided he was surplus to requirements. Quansah has since impressed in Germany and has also strengthened his reputation with England, prompting suggestions that Liverpool could look to bring their former academy graduate back.
However, former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown believes that Liverpool are unlikely to trigger the defender’s buyback clause and instead intend to explore other options.
Liverpool unwilling to pay a premium for Quansah
Quansah’s development since leaving Anfield has certainly caught Liverpool’s attention. His performances for Bayer Leverkusen have been encouraging, while his versatility has added another dimension to his profile. The England international can operate at right-back as well as centre-back, which has led to suggestions that he could solve Liverpool’s problems on the right side of defence.
However, Liverpool reportedly have reservations about paying around £59 million to activate his buyback clause. The figure would be almost double the amount they received for Quansah last summer, making the decision particularly difficult.
Liverpool also believe that if they are going to spend heavily on a right-back, they would prefer a specialist in the position. That could leave Quansah continuing his development at Bayer Leverkusen rather than returning to Merseyside.
Quansah also prefers life at Bayer Leverkusen
Liverpool’s position is further complicated by Quansah’s own preferences. Despite the significant changes at Anfield since his departure, the defender is understood to have reservations about returning. He is reportedly happy with his situation at Bayer Leverkusen and would currently prefer to remain in Germany.
The Englishman’s progress with England could strengthen that stance, particularly if regular Bundesliga football continues to put him in contention at international level. Liverpool therefore appear ready to look elsewhere as they plan their defensive recruitment for 2027.
There is a certain irony to Liverpool finding themselves in this position, as Quansah was developed by the club, given first-team opportunities and eventually sold when Slot decided he did not quite fit his plans. Now, after an impressive spell in Germany, they are being asked to pay significantly more to bring him back.
From a sporting perspective, Quansah would certainly improve Liverpool’s defensive depth. His ability to play both centre-back and right-back is valuable, particularly given the demands of a long Premier League season but the £59 million price changes the calculation.
If Liverpool genuinely believe their biggest weakness is at right-back, spending that amount on a player who is not a natural specialist would be difficult to justify. They could instead target someone whose primary position addresses the problem directly. Jules Kounde is reportedly a target for the Merseyside club.
For now, Liverpool appear to have accepted that reality that Quansah’s future may still bring him back to Anfield one day, but 2027 does not currently look like the right time for a reunion.
