Neil Jones has named one Liverpool youngster who he believes could save the club ‘a fortune’ in the transfer market.
The 2023/24 season has seen Jarell Quansah become the latest academy product to successfully make the step up from youth level to the first team, standing out at centre-back during his debut campaign in the senior ranks.
The journalist has suggested that the 20-year-old’s transition into Jurgen Klopp’s side has been so seamless that, if he can continue to develop at his current rate, he might just spare the Reds from needing to spend big on a central defensive recruit in the near future.
Speaking to Empire of the Kop Insider, Jones said of Quansah: “He’s playing like how a Liverpool defender needs to play and that’s what he’s done since he’s come into the side. He’s 15 games into his senior Liverpool career. He looks like he belongs. Every time I see him, the more he looks like he belongs.
“I think he might just be one of those players where, if he stays fit and continues on this trajectory, he could save Liverpool a fortune going forward.
“Liverpool are going to have to buy some players across the park in the upcoming windows because of age concerns, contracts expiring and just general refreshing. But, I don’t think they need to worry about finding a player with his capabilities. I think Quansah’s good enough.”
Not even the most optimistic Liverpool supporter could’ve envisaged the rapidity of Quansah’s ascent from academy hopeful to first-team regular this season.
Having only made his senior Reds debut in late August against Newcastle, the 20-year-old has now racked up 15 appearances in the current campaign (Transfermarkt), and it appears that only a bad injury (heaven forbid) will stop him from getting to 25-30 by the end of May.
Klopp hasn’t been averse to promoting from within during his time at Anfield – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones are the two standout examples of that – and his faith in youth again looks set to pay dividends in the form of our number 78.
Discounting those who’ve played two games or fewer for the first team this season, only Virgil van Dijk (88.9%) has a better rate for opposition dribblers tackled than Quansah (75%), just one indicator of how comfortably the latter has made the step up from the academy ranks (FBref).
The challenge for the youngster will be to prove that his emergence over the past few months isn’t a fleeting segment of his career, but rather the first step towards establishing himself as part of the furniture like Trent and Jones have done.
If he can succeed in that mission, he could indeed save Liverpool the need to spend big on a new centre-back over the next few transfer windows.
I do still remember you lot said the exact same things about Rhys Williams!
Nothing to be taken from the lad, but that’s pathetic from you!
Some clueless clowns.