Liverpool can save millions with academy grad who’s like a £150m star

Liverpool feel like they are moving, almost inexorably, toward the Premier League title.

Despite a few recent hitches, the title-chasing pack simply don’t have the resources to close down the big gap that Arne Slot’s side has established over the duration of the season.

But what about the future? So much hinges on the outcome of several off-the-field issues that have plagued Anfield throughout the campaign yet somehow failed to knock the title charge out of kilter.

The Times’ Paul Joyce has revealed in the wake of Liverpool’s crushing victory over Manchester City that talks are ongoing with non-committal superstars Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, though it remains a great concern with all three out of contract in little over four months.

Liverpool appear to be heading to the top-flight title this season and may even hit further goals – into the Carabao Cup final and one of the favourites to lift the Champions League for a seventh time – early days in that one, though.

However, Slot will want to consolidate his reign with sustained success over a number of areas, and that means sorting out the futures of more than just the ‘big three’.

The other players who may leave Liverpool

In Joyce’s article, he touches on the abiding rumours around the futures of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.

Diaz is an important member of the first-team squad but, aged 28 and with two years left on his deal, could find himself sold if a fresh contract cannot be agreed upon.

Nunez, conversely, is a popular figure at Anfield but appears to have regressed this season and will likely be sold to make room for a new and more clinical striker.

With Giorgi Mamardashvili arriving from LaLiga side Valencia in a deal worth £29m, it seems likely that second-choice between the sticks, Caoimhin Kelleher, will be sold, especially since the Irishman has been candid about his desire for regular first-team football.

“I was quite clear last summer. I wanted to be a number one goalkeeper, here or elsewhere. I spoke with the manager about the situation, Alisson is one of the best in the world, so he’s always going to be number one.”

The unerring correspondent also commented on Harvey Elliott’s situation. The 21-year-old playmaker is immensely talented but will need to have some internal conversations given Slot has scarcely used him this season. Indeed, Elliott hasn’t started in the Premier League this term.

However, that’s not to say Slot isn’t willing to promote Liverpool’s youngsters. With Real Madrid coveting Trent, it looks like Conor Bradley may be playing as Liverpool’s first-choice right-back next year. There’s also Jarell Quansah, who isn’t likely to usurp Van Dijk but could take his baton in a few years.

Let’s have a closer look at the powerful centre-back.

Jarell Quansah is Liverpool’s future star

Liverpool’s academy has gone from strength to strength over the past several years. Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and indeed Elliott had graduated throughout Jurgen Klopp’s reign but the depth and potential seems greater today.

There’s a whole host of up-and-coming talent pushing against Slot’s first team now, but it’s indeed Quansah and Bradley who lead the charge.

The significance of Quansah’s breakout campaign last year was accelerated when Joel Matip ruptured his ACL against Fulham in December 2023 in what ultimately proved a career-ending injury.

The English defender was described as “an absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig as he staked his claim for a prominent role in Liverpool’s side, even pipping the out-of-sorts Ibrahima Konate to a regular starting berth in the closing months of the Premier League season. Quansah started this beside Van Dijk term too, albeit was withdrawn in the campaign’s opener at half-time against Ipswich.

He’s suffered something of a slow season under Slot’s wing since but remains one of Merseyside’s biggest jewels, starting 11 of the final 15 fixtures.

And after a momentous cameo as off-colour Liverpool held Wolverhampton Wanderers at bay to claim three invaluable points last weekend, Slot was full of praise for his much-improved young star, saying “he is back to being the same Jarell” after “a bit of a difficult time” at the beginning of 2024/25.

With a strong athletic base and exciting technical qualities, Quansah has all the parts to become a leading centre-back in the years to come.

In fact, such skills have already seen him compared to Tottenham Hotspur titan Cristian Romero and Real Madrid’s Eder Militao via FBRef’s similar players feature. Romero’s availability leaves something to be desired but his footballing ability is a thing to behold.

See the defenders’ statistics collected over the past year. It’s uncanny how similar Quansah and Romero are across a number of areas: both crisp with their passing yet creative too; both mobile players, covering immense stretches of ground and both active and crunching with their challenges.

Quansah hasn’t played all that much Premier League football this season, but last year, he incredibly won 64% of his total duels, as per Sofascore.

To put that into context: the awe-inspiring Van Dijk has won 69% in 2024/25 and Romero, 26, has emerged on top in 61% this season and 68% the year before.

While Tottenham have struggled in Ange Postecoglou’s second term, largely due to ceaseless injury problems, Romero has been part of that fitness problem, last starting against Ipswich Town in November.

He’s a brilliant and dynamic defender, aggressive and tenacious too. Real Madrid have been linked with him over the past year as they prepare to sign a new long-term member for their central rearguard, but Daniel Levy is down to play hardball.

Well, the tight chairman has retorted with £150m demands for the 2022 World Cup winner. That’s quite the exorbitant figure.

We’re not saying that Quansah – or indeed Romero – is worth such an obscene amount of money, but the rising Liverpool sensation is clearly doing something right, and now that he’s found his feet – he must push on, and maybe raise his stock and standing on the continental scene.