Jürgen Klopp must unleash Jarrell Quansah from the Liverpool youth academy as the Reds take on Leicester City in a pre-season friendly on Sunday’s tour of Singapore.
The Anfield venue kicks off the Merseyside club’s trip to the Far East against the Foxes at the National Stadium. Bayern Munich are also waiting for Liverpool in Asia as Klopp’s team accelerates preparations for the Premier League season in hopes of a stronger season in 2023-24.
Klopp has brought a 27-man squad to Singapore and has included Quansah, a Liverpool academy prospect, in his plans. The 20-year-old is one of the few centre-backs to make the Tour. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip also add depth to the Reds.
Klopp has already put Quansah under the microscope in pre-season
Quansah has already featured in Klopp’s deliberations this summer, having also completed Liverpool’s mini-camp in Germany. He even played in the Reds’ friendlies against Karlsruher SC and SpVgg Greuther Fürth. Klopp used the youngster as a substitute in both games.
Van Dijk made way for Quansah against Karlsruher at half-time in Liverpool’s 4-2 Second Division win. The Dutchman also made room for the youngster at half-time as the Reds held off Greuther Furth in a 4-4 draw. Klopp has shown keen interest in Quansah’s progress.
Now, however, Klopp will have to release Quansah early on when Liverpool take on Leicester in Singapore. Their friendly with the Foxes gives the Reds boss his best chance yet to see if the Warrington-born enforcer is ready to cement his claim to a first-team role in the 2023/24 season.
The Liverpool talent enjoyed his first minutes with the senior team this year
Quansah could offer Klopp a valuable squad option behind Liverpool’s senior centre-backs next season. But the England Under-20 international has yet to make his first-team debut for the Reds. He has been among the unused substitutes for only three games so far.
However, Bristol Rovers introduced Quansah to first-team football for the first time this year. Joey Barton signed the centre-back on loan in January for Quansah’s first temporary transfer away from Anfield. He also played him in 16 League One games, starting 15 of them. Quansah made a huge impression on Barton during his loan spell at Bristol Rovers last season.
The former Reds academy talent and Manchester City midfielder has praised the defender for having been “outstanding” since Quansah arrived at the Memorial Stadium in January.
“He went with England and did well with them,” Barton continued in April via the Bristol World quotes. “[He] scored and came back and it seems like he figured out how to head. He’d probably be our top scorer if he’d known earlier.”
