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"To an observer, it appears insane," Jarell Quansah says, as he looks back on his recent summer, when dizzying change felt like a constant. "But it is one of them ... football is a crazy game."

A Brief Summary

Days after claiming victory in the European Under-21 Championship with England at the end of June, Quansah opted to depart from Liverpool, to go to Bayer Leverkusen in a £30m deal.

The significant transfer sum equalled big pressure as the 22-year-old was charged with settling in in a foreign land and at a club where the turnover was dramatic. Erik ten Hag had stepped in to replace Xabi Alonso and a number of star performers were gone or going – including several high-profile names, Piero Hincapié, Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli, experienced professionals, Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah.

League Introduction

Quansah's Bundesliga debut came on 23 August at their home ground to their opponents and the centre-half scored after the opening minutes, though the goal was overshadowed by sadness. His primary thought was Diogo Jota, who was tragically lost in a road incident. Quansah performed his teammate's signature celebration as a tribute.

"To have a goal on your Bundesliga debut, at home, after the opening moments, is definitely a whirlwind," Quansah says. "However, my dominant emotion was that it was a tribute to Diogo."

Initial Struggles

The defender could have been excused for questioning what he had committed to at Leverkusen. After the encouraging beginning in their opening league fixture, they fell to a narrow loss and the following game on August 30th was just as bad. The squad threw away 2-0 and 3-1 leads to finish level at 10-man Werder Bremen, the tying goal coming in added time. It was not Ten Hag's team for very long. He was sacked on 1 September.

Maintaining Composure

Quansah does not come across as the kind to worry. If calmness characterizes his playing style, it was evident during the interview he gave after being selected for the national team for the international friendly against their rivals and the World Cup qualifier against their next opponents.

Quansah has kept his head down under the current coach, the Danish tactician, and continued to do what he always intended to do at the club – compete. Hjulmand has brought stability. His team have three wins and one draw in four league matches along with draws in each of their Champions League ties. But there is a broader statistic that encourages Quansah, even bringing a measure of vindication. It is the fact that demonstrates he has been ever-present of the club's campaign.

National Team Attention

It is something that Thomas Tuchel has noted. The national team manager was a admirer previously, selecting Quansah when he named his first squad. After omitting him in the summer so that Quansah could focus on the Under-21 European Championship, he gave him a late call-up in the autumn when the experienced defender was forced to withdraw.

Still to win his international debut, Quansah must have done something right in training and around the camp because he was selected at the outset in Tuchel's 24‑man group for Wales and Latvia, effectively as a additional defensive option with the regular starter returning. The aspiration is a debut. It is one more milestone he would certainly handle with ease.

Decision Making

"With my new club, the team were interested in me for a considerable time and that's not only from the manager [Ten Hag]," Quansah says. "They were interested prior to his arrival. So knowing it was a type of organizational choice and things would remain consistent with which manager was to take over ... it was straightforward for me to make that decision.

"There were a lot of players departing and it's always tough when you see important figures leave. It has been difficult to establish new hierarchies but the outcomes we have had recently show that we have developed a good squad with quality players. It is going to take time to develop and we are not where we want to be. But if we are achieving positive outcomes and avoiding defeats that is a good place to start."

Leaving Childhood Club

It had to have been a wrench for Quansah to depart from Liverpool, his team since childhood, where he experienced so many memorable moments – such as the league cup triumph over their London rivals in 2023‑24 when he came on as an extra-time substitute.

Quansah was also a part of last season's domestic championship success. Yet his view of much of that was not the one he would have chosen. He was an unused substitute on multiple matches in the league, his four starts and nine appearances falling short compared to his statistics from the prior season when he started nine games.

Professional Growth

"I consistently developed off top-level professionals around me at my former club and it's been so good for my career," he comments. "However, for a developing defender, you need games and I'm will require extensive playing time to be at my desired level.

"I just wanted game time and when you are at a team like Liverpool, it's not guaranteed because there are elite performers all over the pitch. I wanted an environment where they can trust that I might make mistakes at certain moments but they will see beyond that and recognize I can continue developing and improving."

Early Experience

Quansah recalls his loan to the lower division club in the later part of that season where he debuted at professional level – multiple matches, to be precise. There were "multiple reality checks", he says with a smile, beginning with his debut; a 5-1 defeat at Morecambe.

"That was a genuine revelation," Quansah says. "It proved a really valuable chapter in my development because I wanted to make the subsequent progression to regular senior competition. Every game I gained fresh insights. That's when I knew how crucial practical knowledge and match practice was. You could suggest it informed my decision in the summer."