Liverpool could soon give Jurgen Klopp a free defensive boost and England’s call-up proves it

Liverpool could soon give Jurgen Klopp a free defensive boost and England’s call-up proves it

Liverpool may have another exciting prospect who could give Jurgen Klopp’s first team a boost this summer and they’ve just received an invitation from England U20s.

There’s been a lot of talk about the Liverpool midfield lately, but the defense probably deserves just as much attention. This defensive season for the Reds hasn’t quite gone to plan, and it might be time for Jürgen Klopp to freshen up his options a bit more.

With Virgil van Dijk and Joël Matip both turning 32 this summer, as Liverpool are looking to build a future for themselves, now could be the perfect time to sign one of their own. come in and take their place.

In this case, Matip would clearly make more sense to sell, as she probably rejected most of him and Van Dijk. His contract expires in 2024, meaning this summer would be the last time Liverpool could make a profit on the Cameroonian international.

Elsewhere, Joe Gomez is also a little shaky in form and we haven’t really seen the best of him since he returned from his injury woes in the 2021/22 season. He too could be sold if Liverpool need money to buy players from the transfer market, but he is younger, homegrown and can also play as a right-back.

Ultimately that would mean investing in the centre-back in the transfer market, but Liverpool’s options can also be supplemented for free with an exciting up-and-coming academy product who has recently excelled on loan.

Jarell Quansah joined Bristol Rovers in League One in the January transfer window and moved straight into the starting line-up, becoming a key member of the starting eleven. He has played every minute at his disposal since joining the club in the league.

In a short time, he amassed 810 first-team minutes and was comfortable throughout, despite struggles at Bristol Rovers, losing six of the nine games Quansah played in.

In a weak team given the context, Quansah’s stats are quite satisfactory. According to Wyscout, he wins 60.9% of his 5.64 90 defensive duels, averages 13.31 90 digs and makes 6.79 interceptions. In terms of headers, he still needs to improve, winning just 44.4% of his 4.76 headers, but he makes up for it with his composure on the ball. Quansah, a quintessential centre-back who plays the ball perfectly and who is a perfect fit for Klopp’s style of play, ranks seventh among centre-backs for forward passing per 90 in League One, averaging 23.01 for 90. Again, that’s pretty impressive given the context of how his team played. struggled in recent weeks, especially when it comes to ball possession.

Quansah was the antidote to always balancing the ball forward and making smart passes to propel his team forward.

His talent has also recently been recognized internationally, with Quansah earning a call-up to the England Under-20 squad, placing him just a stone’s throw from the senior side.

A youth-level captain and just 20 years old, he is one of the most exciting centre-backs to emerge from the club’s youth academy in recent years. He shouldn’t fit into the Liverpool squad as a regular first-team member, but he deserves a chance to prove himself in pre-season and can certainly increase Klopp’s options, especially if Nat Phillips is finally able to leave Anfield for new pastures.

Given his stature domestically, Quansah could be the perfect choice to fill that void at Phillips and perhaps offer even more and push for a more solid role, especially when Liverpool’s centre-backs are underperforming.