Manchester United Joins Arsenal in Jarell Quansah Transfer Battle
Manchester United have stepped into Arsenal’s pursuit of Jarell Quansah, turning an already intriguing transfer story into a full-blown Premier League tug of war.
The former Liverpool centre-back, now at Bayer Leverkusen, is in “active talks” with both United and Arsenal, according to Football Transfers, as two of Liverpool’s fiercest rivals circle a player many at Anfield once expected to anchor their defence for the next decade.
From Liverpool prospect to Leverkusen lynchpin
Quansah’s rise has been rapid. After breaking through at Liverpool and being widely tipped as a long-term pillar of their back line, the club chose to cash in last summer, selling the academy product to Bayer Leverkusen for around £30m.
The move has paid off for the 23-year-old. A strong debut campaign in Germany has pushed him into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup and turned him into one of the most coveted young defenders in Europe.
Liverpool built in protection. They had a €70m buy-back clause for this summer, but that option has now expired. Reports earlier this month suggested they do not intend to bring him back in this window, despite their own shortage in central defence.
That decision has cracked the door open. Their rivals are now trying to smash it off its hinges.
Arsenal move first – and early
Arsenal made the first serious move. On Friday morning it emerged that the North London club had made contact over a deal, viewing Quansah as an alternative to Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa.
Fabrizio Romano reported on X that Arsenal opened talks with Quansah’s camp this week, describing them as initial discussions, while stressing that Bayer Leverkusen intend to fight to keep the defender.
Romano also underlined the key detail Liverpool fans will wince at: the €70m buy-back clause has expired and there are no other clauses in place for rival clubs. Leverkusen now hold all the cards.
United arrive on the scene
Just as Arsenal tried to steal a march, United arrived.
Football Transfers report that United are now in “active talks” over Quansah and have “stepped up their move” for the versatile defender, who can operate across the back line. At this stage, Arsenal are said to be ahead in the race, but that lead looks fragile.
Leverkusen’s stance is clear. They are reluctant to sell one of their standout performers and are expected to demand a fee well above the €35m they initially paid. That alone could reshape the landscape.
The report suggests Arsenal enjoy an edge thanks to a strong relationship with Leverkusen, but also warns of a “sizeable gulf in valuations” between the German champions and the North London club. If that gap widens, United could find their opening.
‘He should have been Van Dijk’s successor’
For Liverpool, the whole saga carries a sting.
“The answer to Liverpool’s centre-back problems should have been Jarell Quansah,” Bundesliga analyst Ronan Murphy told Football Transfers, laying bare the sense of what might have been.
“The England international should have been Virgil van Dijk’s successor at Anfield, but neither player nor club could wait around for that to happen. He joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 to get first-team experience and to prove himself at the highest level, and in the 12 months since, he has done exactly that.”
Murphy is not surprised the Premier League is already calling him back.
“So it is no surprise that he is being linked with a move back to the Premier League just a year after leaving for €35m, but what is surprising is that it is not a return to Anfield that is on the cards.
“Instead, the composed defender has been linked with Arsenal, who would rightly value his ball-playing ability as well as his presence in the air for set pieces and general defending.”
Quansah’s own ambition is no secret.
“He said himself back in 2024 that he wants to be the best defender in Europe,” Murphy added. “That is something he probably cannot achieve if he remains at Bayer Leverkusen, but Arsenal under Mikel Arteta could be the perfect place to reach that goal.”
Arsenal, United, Liverpool watching from the outside, and Leverkusen digging in. If Quansah really does want to become Europe’s best, his next decision will say everything about how high he intends to climb – and how much his Premier League suitors are willing to pay to go with him.
