'.

Arsenal in talks to sign £43m former Liverpool player

Arsenal are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over the signing of former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, though it may not be an easy deal to do.

Jarell Quansah of Bayer 04 Leverkusen controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between SC Freiburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Europa-Park Stadion on March 07, 2026 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images

Sky Sports News report that Arsenal are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a possible deal for Jarell Quansah, with Mikel Arteta viewing Quansah as a good addition given his ability to play at both centre-back and right-back.

Quansah was involved with England at the World Cup over the summer, but he’s now back in training with Leverkusen after his holiday.

Sky report that Leverkusen don’t want to sell, and that Arsenal would need to pay considerably more than the initial £30m the German club paid for Quansah last summer.

Jarell Quansah of England during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 match between Mexico and England at Mexico City Stadium on July 5, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images

Liverpool also had a buy-back clause in the player’s contract for €70m (£59.8m), but David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that the clause has since expired.

Ornstein adds that Quansah is open to the Arsenal move if the situation develops, but reiterates that Leverkusen don’t want to sell and are under no pressure to do so.

Ed Aarons of The Guardian confirms that Arsenal are in talks over Quansah, with the asking price expected to be at least €50m (£42.7m).

But that may not put Arsenal off. The Gunners have shown a strong interest in Ezri Konsa this summer, and indicated a willingness to pay around £40m for the centre-back, but Aston Villa have been holding out for £60m and refusing to budge.

By comparison, Quansah’s reported fee is seemingly closer to Arsenal’s budgeted price for a centre-back. Being five years younger than Konsa, there’s also a better chance that some of that investment can be recouped with a later sale.

Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa looks to control the ball during the UEFA Europa League Final 2026 match between SC Freiburg and Aston Villa FC at Besiktas Park on May 20, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Arsenal have done business with Bayer Leverkusen before, as recently as this very summer. The Gunners signed Piero Hincapie on loan in 2025, and they made that deal permanent in on July 1st.

Leverkusen evidently aren’t jumping at the chance to sell Arsenal another defender at this stage, but the numbers being discussed make it seem like a relatively realistic proposition.

Alex Scott, Elliot Anderson and Jarell Quansah #26 of England inspect the pitch prior to the international friendly match between England and New Zealand at Raymond James Stadium on June 06, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images
Related Topics