Why Liverpool are unlikely to rival Arsenal for Jarell Quansah as talks begin over surprise £43m transfer

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Liverpool are bound to see some changes at centre-back in the coming 12 months, as they prepare for the potential of life after Virgil van Dijk.The Reds have two excellent young defenders in Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni who will hopefully both come good this season, but there has been anxiety that both Van Dijk and Joe Gomez are to depart at the end of the campaign.Ronald Araujo has been brought in as cover this week, but the fact that the Uruguayan has signed on loan instead of a permanent deal has suggested that Liverpool have a different plan for next summer. What does Ronald Araujo need to do to make his move to Liverpool permanent?

Remember, the Reds have a buy option of around £47m… Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool Ever since his departure in 2025, it has felt very possible that that plan involved Jarell Quansah, who Liverpool inserted a buyback clause on when selling him to Bayer Leverkusen.However, things took a surprising turn in that story on Friday, with Sky Sports reporting that Arsenal are in talks to buy Quansah from Leverkusen. Queue the scramble from Liverpool fans, many of whom never wanted to see the academy graduate leave in the first place.But though supporters would prefer to see Quansah back, and are worried by the prospect of him joining Arsenal, Araujo’s arrival – and the fact that Liverpool’s buyback clause kicks in next year – make it unlikely that the Reds enter the fray.READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister’s time at Liverpool looks to be coming to an end despite his father’s best effortsLiverpool don’t need Araujo and QuansahOn paper, Liverpool’s plan to park Araujo at Anfield for a season before potentially bringing Quansah back next year looked like a decent one.If there had been a choice, the Reds would probably have opted to go for their former player over the Barca captain.Nevertheless, Araujo’s move is a cost-effective solution in a summer where Liverpool are planning to go big on their attack in what remains of the window.Buying Quansah – who reportedly has a £43m asking price this summer – would put a dent in those plans in forward areas.Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesSo, even if there had been a direct choice, it feels probable that Liverpool would have gone for Araujo anyway.

Maybe that’s even what they did.Even if it wasn’t, and they have been as surprised as everyone by Arsenal’s sudden interest in Quansah, Araujo joining has ended their need for another centre-back.Liverpool do not need Van Dijk, Jacquet, Leoni, Araujo, Gomez and Quansah. Not all of them will be fit at the same time, clearly, but there is more than enough there for them to get by.Factor in Ifeanyi Ndukwe’s progress this summer and his return to availability next year, and adding Quansah to the mix just doesn’t make any sense.It will be slightly humiliating for Liverpool if the England international does join Arsenal, and there will be some angry supporters who will demand explanations.