Jarell Quansah is the latest Liverpool youngster to have risen through the ranks to fit seamlessly into the first-team squad under Jurgen Klopp.
The German manager has signed some real superstars during his time as manager, but his ability to integrate academy products and prospects into the team stands out as one of his greatest qualities – one that will benefit the club long after he’s gone.
Quansah made his Premier League debut in less-than-ideal circumstances, entering the fray against Newcastle United in front of a febrile St James’ Park after Virgil van Dijk had been sent off. Somehow the Reds went on to win that game 2-1.
The 21-year-old has since gone on to start 19 times in all competitions for Liverpool, showing the level of trust Klopp has placed in the defender. One of those starts came against Chelsea in the EFL Cup final alongside other rookies such as Conor Bradley, Jayden Danns and James McConnell. Despite missing so many key players, they pulled out the win on that occasion too.
Klopp’s place in Anfield folklore was already well secured before now, but he is ensuring his legacy lives long into the future. And Quansah is trying to glean as much as he can before the legendary coach bids farewell to Merseyside.
“It comes down to the trust the manager has shown in me,” Quansah told The Athletic. “If someone is umming and ahhing about putting you in, you’d be stood there thinking: ‘Does he really think I’m good enough?’
“But Jurgen has done it with so many young players. It’s about having that belief that they will do well. He’s watched us all enough. I’m just trying to take in everything in terms of his coaching style and absorb as much as I possibly can from him before he leaves in the summer.”
There are few better centre-backs to learn from than Van Dijk, while Quansah is also soaking up a footballing education from teammates Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip.
“Virg talks you through the game when you’re in it,” he says. “Before the game, he’s telling you about opposition strikers and what to expect: what their strengths are, what they tend to do in certain situations. As captain of the team, he sets the standards.
“All of the other centre-backs have helped me in different ways. Ibou’s one-v-one defending is so special. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The same with Joel, with the way he steps in and drives forward with the ball, how he breaks lines and picks the right pass. It’s just a great learning experience for me.”
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