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"From the outside, it seems crazy," Jarell Quansah says, as he reflects on his recent summer, when dizzying change felt like a constant. "But it is one of them ... football is a unpredictable game."

A Brief Summary

Days after winning the U21 European Championship with England at the end of June, Quansah opted to depart from Liverpool, to go to the Bundesliga side in a multi-million pound transfer.

The big fee equalled high expectations as the 22-year-old was charged with settling in in a foreign land and at a team where the turnover was dramatic. The new manager had taken over to succeed the previous coach and a host of star performers were departing or already left – chief among them several high-profile names, key squad members, influential figures, prominent athletes, experienced professionals, established players and Jonathan Tah.

League Introduction

Quansah's first league appearance came on 23 August at their home ground to Hoffenheim and the centre-half scored after five minutes, though the goal was undercut by sadness. All he could think about was his former Liverpool teammate, who was killed in a car accident. Quansah executed his teammate's signature celebration as a mark of respect.

"To have a goal on your first Bundesliga match, at home, after five minutes, is definitely a rollercoaster," Quansah says. "However, my dominant emotion was that it was a tribute to Diogo."

Initial Struggles

The player could have been forgiven for wondering what he had committed to at Leverkusen. After the encouraging beginning in their first league game, they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat and the following game on August 30th was equally disappointing. The squad squandered comfortable advantages to draw 3-3 at 10-man Werder Bremen, the equaliser coming in added time. It was no longer his responsibility for much longer. He was sacked on September 1st.

Maintaining Composure

Quansah does not come across as the type to fret. If composure characterizes his playing style, it was evident during the interview he gave after joining England for the Wembley friendly against Wales and the World Cup qualifier against their next opponents.

Quansah has remained focused under the new Leverkusen manager, the Danish tactician, and continued to do what he originally planned to do at the club – compete. Hjulmand has established consistency. His team have three wins and one draw in four league matches along with ties in each of their Champions League ties. But there is a broader statistic that encourages Quansah, even bringing a measure of vindication. It is the one which shows he has been ever-present of the club's campaign.

International Recognition

It is one that Thomas Tuchel has noted. The England head coach was a admirer previously, including him when he named his first squad. After leaving him out in June so that Quansah could concentrate on the Under-21 European Championship, he provided him with a late call-up in the autumn when the experienced defender was compelled to pull out.

Still to win his first cap, Quansah must have done something right in practice sessions and within the squad environment because he was selected at the beginning in the manager's 24‑man group for Wales and Latvia, effectively as a additional defensive option with the regular starter returning. The aspiration is a debut. It is one more milestone he would certainly handle with ease.

Career Choices

"At Leverkusen, the team were keen on signing me for a considerable time and that's not just from the coach," Quansah says. "They were interested prior to his arrival. So understanding it was a type of organizational choice and nothing would change with whatever coach was to come in ... it was straightforward for me to make that decision.

"We had a numerous squad members leaving and it's consistently challenging when you lose key players. It has been tough to establish new hierarchies but the outcomes we have had recently demonstrate that we have got a competitive team with quality players. It is going to take time to develop and we are not where we want to be. But if we are achieving positive outcomes and avoiding defeats that is a solid foundation to start."

Liverpool Departure

It had to have been a difficult separation for Quansah to leave Liverpool, his team since childhood, where he enjoyed so many memorable moments – such as the Carabao Cup final victory over their London rivals in the previous season when he came on as an extra-time substitute.

Quansah was also involved in the previous campaign's Premier League title triumph. Yet his perspective of most of that achievement was not the one he would have preferred. He was an unused substitute on multiple matches in the competition, his limited playing time comparing unfavourably with his statistics from the prior season when he featured more regularly.

Professional Growth

"I've always learned off some of the best players around me at my former club and it's been so good for my career," he says. "But as a young centre-back, you need games and I'm will require extensive playing time to be at my desired level.

"My primary desire was regular playing opportunities and when you are at a team like Liverpool, it's not guaranteed because there are world-class players all over the pitch. I wanted an environment where they can trust that I could errors at times but they will see beyond that and recognize I can continue developing and improving."

Foundation Building

Quansah recalls his temporary transfer to the lower division club in the second-half of 2022-23 where he debuted at professional level – multiple matches, to be precise. There were "multiple reality checks", he says with a grin, beginning with his first game; a 5-1 defeat at Morecambe.

"That was a true eye-opener," Quansah says. "It proved a really valuable part of my career because I wanted to make the next step to regular senior competition. Each match I learned something new. That's where I knew how crucial practical knowledge and playing games was. You could say it influenced my decision in the off-season."