Why did Jarell Quansah move from Liverpool to the Bundesliga, setting a new transfer record for Leverkusen?

Officially, Jarell Quansah has joined Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga champions pay a club-record £35 million to acquire the 22-year-old defender, who leaves Liverpool to join them.

This is the most costly acquisition in Leverkusen’s history. But why has Liverpool chosen to let go of one of their most promising academy products, and what does this big move mean?

“When we played them in the Champions League last season, I had a positive impression of the team and the club. The team is outstanding. After finishing his transfer, Quansah remarked, “Joining Leverkusen during this exciting time of growth is a big challenge, but one I’m looking forward to.”

Leverkusen made bolstering their defense a top priority this summer after Jonathan Tah left for Bayern Munich. Tah, a fan favorite who has been with the team since 2015, was instrumental in the team’s historic 2023–24 double-winning season, which saw them win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal.

Tah was a vital member of Xabi Alonso’s team because of his experience, physical presence, superb defensive reading, and effective back-row distribution. It was never going to be easy to replace him, but Leverkusen is sure Quansah is prepared to step in.

The strong bond between Leverkusen and Liverpool is also reflected in the transfer. Before agreeing to sell Quansah, the Reds signed Florian Wirtz (£127 million) and Jeremie Frimpong (£30 million) from the German team in recent months.

With 13 starts, Quansah played in 25 games during the 2024–25 season, trailing only Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk in Arne Slot’s hierarchy.

Quansah didn’t want to wait or “pay to see” because Konaté hasn’t renewed his contract yet and his future at the Reds is still uncertain.

According to what he understands, the young Englishman decided to make the so-called career leap even though Slot had praised him last season. In practice: taking over the starting lineup of the “new” Leverkusen, who are currently without Xabi Alonso, after leaving Liverpool’s reserve.

The management of Liverpool did not object to the sale. The transfer actually fits in with the club’s budget. In accounting terms, selling domestic players like Quansah is pure profit, which directly improves Liverpool’s financial balance sheet and enables the team to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Prior to the upcoming season, the money raised from his departure will be used to help cover operational shortfalls and guarantee the club stays within financial constraints.