Manchester United Challenge Arsenal for Jarell Quansah

Manchester United have moved into the race for Jarell Quansah, muscling in on Arsenal’s push to bring the former Liverpool centre-back back to the Premier League from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 23-year-old, once tipped as a long-term pillar at Anfield, left Liverpool last summer for around £30m in search of regular football. He found it in Germany. A strong first season in the Bundesliga has already carried him into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup and turned him into one of Europe’s most-watched young defenders.

Liverpool, short on centre-backs, had been expected to circle back. They held a £60m buy-back clause, but reports earlier this month indicated they chose not to trigger it in this window. That clause has now expired, leaving the field clear for rivals — and they have not hesitated.

Arsenal make the first move

Arsenal were first to show their hand. With Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa on their radar but difficult to prise away, the Gunners opened talks over Quansah as an alternative solution at the heart of defence.

Fabrizio Romano reported on X that Arsenal made contact with Quansah’s camp this week over a possible move. He described the discussions as “initial talks” and stressed that Bayer Leverkusen intend to fight to keep the defender. The Italian journalist also underlined a key detail: Liverpool’s €70m buy-back clause has lapsed and there are no other clauses in play for rival clubs.

Arsenal’s interest fits the profile. Mikel Arteta wants defenders who can play, not just clear their lines, and Quansah’s composure on the ball, as well as his dominance in the air, ticks those boxes.

United step in

Now Manchester United have arrived at the table.

According to Football Transfers, United are in “active talks” over signing Quansah and have “stepped up their move” as they look to reinforce a back line that has been crying out for reliability and versatility. The report states that Arsenal currently lead the race, but that gap is far from secure.

Arsenal do hold one advantage: a strong working relationship with Leverkusen, which has eased negotiations between the clubs in recent years. That goodwill, though, only goes so far. The German champions are deeply reluctant to lose one of their standout performers and are expected to demand a fee far beyond the €35m they paid just a year ago.

Early signals suggest a sizeable gap between Arsenal’s valuation and Leverkusen’s asking price. That kind of stand-off can drag. It can also invite new bidders. United, watching closely, see an opening.

The one that got away from Liverpool

For some, Quansah should never have left Merseyside in the first place.

“The answer to Liverpool’s centre-back problems should have been Jarell Quansah,” Bundesliga analyst Ronan Murphy told Football Transfers. He described the defender as the natural successor to Virgil van Dijk, but pointed out that neither player nor club were prepared to wait for that handover to happen.

Quansah moved to Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 to play every week and prove himself at the highest level. Twelve months on, Murphy argues, he has done exactly that.

So the Premier League links were inevitable. The surprise is the destination. Instead of a romantic return to Anfield, the conversation now revolves around Arsenal and Manchester United, two of Liverpool’s fiercest domestic rivals.

Murphy believes Arsenal, in particular, would value Quansah’s ball-playing ability and his authority in both boxes, especially at set pieces. Those traits fit seamlessly into Arteta’s carefully constructed system.

Quansah has never hidden his ambition. Back in 2024, he stated he wanted to become the best defender in Europe. Murphy questions whether that ceiling is reachable if he stays in Leverkusen. A move to Arsenal, he suggests, could offer the platform to chase that goal.

United, though, can make a similar argument. They can offer a historic stage, a defence in transition, and the chance to become the cornerstone of a rebuild. The question now is simple: whose project, whose vision, and whose bid will convince Leverkusen — and Quansah — that this is the moment to come home?