Jarell Quansah's reasons for leaving Liverpool as Reds consider $94M transfer U-turn

English defender Jarell Quansah won the Premier League title and Carabao Cup at Liverpool before completing a transfer to German team Bayer Leverkusen last summer

Jarell Quansah is being linked with a return to Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Jarell Quansah has confirmed that he quit Liverpool in pursuit of more first-team action, as speculation builds on a return to Anfield.

Quansah, 23, completed a £35 million ($46.5 million) transfer from the Reds to Bayer Leverkusen last July. He graduated from Liverpool's academy but struggled to nail down a spot in the starting XI due to the presence of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

Arne Slot has missed the center-back since his transfer. While Van Dijk and Konate have been available for most of the season, Joe Gomez has struggled to stay fit, while Quansah's replacement, Giovanni Leoni, suffered a season-ending knee injury on his debut.

Quansah, meanwhile, has impressed at Leverkusen. The Premier League winner has been a regular in the German team's starting XI this season, making 32 appearances in all competitions. He also made his senior debut for England last November.

Quansah's form in Germany has fueled speculation about a return to Anfield. According to Sky in Germany, Liverpool can trigger an €80 million ($94.1 million) buy-back clause before May to ensure Quansah makes a swift return to English soccer.

It's claimed that the Reds are considering doing this to bolster their defense, despite the impending arrival of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes. That's because Konate could leave Anfield on a free transfer this summer after entering the final four months of his contract.

Quansah is doing well at Bayer Leverkusen(Image: Getty Images)

Gomez could also leave Anfield this summer, as AC Milan continues to be linked with the defender. Furthermore, there are question marks over how Leoni will recover from his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, while Van Dijk will turn 35 this July.

After graduating from Liverpool's academy, Quansah made 58 appearances for the Reds, helping them win the Carabao Cup in 2024 and the Premier League a year later. He also completed a loan spell with Bristol Rovers in League One, playing 16 times.

Quansah has already revealed why he left Liverpool, and it had nothing to do with his feelings toward the club.

Speaking last October about playing regularly at Leverkusen, he said: "Being able to do that has been so good for my career.

"It has always been a big part of it. At this part of my career, 22 turning 23 (in January), I need hundreds of games to be where I want to be. I think overall that’s why the decision was made and why I thought going abroad was best for me."

Quansah now has an outside chance of playing for Thomas Tuchel's England at this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Speaking ahead of his England debut, he added: "I’m really delighted to be here (in the squad).

“It’s always a huge honor to get called up, and I’m thankful to the manager for that as well. It’s always about learning from the senior players who have more caps than I do. Hopefully it’s something I will achieve — a cap for England."

Liverpool.com says: It wouldn't be a surprise to see Quansah back at Anfield this summer, but it's unlikely Liverpool will pay close to $100 million for his services. This is a transfer story to keep an eye on.