Arsenal in talks with Leverkusen over Quansah

Arsenal are on the lookout for a new defender with Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both out injured; Jarell Quansah joined Leverkusen last season from Liverpool in a £35m deal and made Thomas Tuchel's England World Cup squad this summer

Friday 14 August 2026 12:07, UK

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Watch every Bundesliga goal scored by Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah in 2025/26.

Arsenal are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a possible deal for England defender Jarell Quansah.

Mikel Arteta is keen to add to his defensive options and sees Quansah as a good addition, with his versatility in both the centre-back and right-back positions.

Clinton Morrison discusses a potential move from Arsenal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarrell Quansah.

Quansah has returned to Bayer Leverkusen after an extended break following his debut World Cup, in which he made three appearances for England.

He played 44 times in his first season in Germany having made the decision to leave his boyhood club Liverpool last summer.

Jarell Quansah scored on his Bundesliga debut in Bayer Leverkusen's 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim. The former Liverpool man celebrated the goal with a tribute to Diogo Jota.

It's thought Leverkusen don't want to sell, having been impressed with the 23-year-old's performances in the Bundesliga, and his mature attitude in adapting to his new environment.

It is likely that Arsenal would need to pay considerably more than the £30m the German club paid for Quansah last July to prise him away, with four years remaining on his contract.

Liverpool have also inserted a buy-back clause into Quansah's contract at Leverkusen worth around £59.8m (€70m).

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We take a look at the best of Ezri Konsa's during the 2025-2026 Premier League campaign with the England defender being linked with a move to Arsenal.

Arsenal maintain an interest in Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa alongside his England team-mate Quansah.

Both players share a similar profile and are capable of playing at right-back and centre-back.

Sky Sports News understands there is a big gap in valuation between Arsenal and Villa for Konsa. Villa would want around £60m to part with the 28-year-old, who has two years remaining on his contract.

So far, Arsenal have not indicated a willingness to come close to that valuation, and the ball is in their court to convince Villa to sell.

Konsa was not in the Villa squad for Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup game against Paris Saint-Germain because he is still on his post-World Cup holiday.

Analysis: Why Quansah would be a good fit for Arsenal

With William Saliba out injured, Arsenal need some cover at centre-back. But it's not the only hole they have in defence, as right-back is a sore spot.

Image:Arsenal's win rate drops from 68 per cent to 50 per cent without William Saliba starting

Jurrien Timber is still recovering from the groin problem that has kept him mostly sidelined since March, and Ben White's injury record is not the best. It is worth remembering that Cristhian Mosquera was forced to start Arsenal's Champions League final defeat out of position at right-back - and ended up conceding a penalty in Budapest.

It is why Ezri Konsa has also been targeted by Arsenal, yet Aston Villa's asking price for a 28-year-old seems too steep. At 23, his England team-mate Quansah could equally fill both holes in Arsenal's defence and could represent a better deal in the long-term.

A centre-back by trade, the former Liverpool man featured on the right of a back three last season at Leverkusen. That was enough for Thomas Tuchel to take Quansah as one of his right-back options for England this summer - and remember, that was over Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Looking at his pass map for Leverkusen, Quansah often took up what is traditionally a right-back position for the Bundesliga side. It means once Saliba returns to full fitness to partner Gabriel at centre-back, Quansah has plenty to fight for in another role.

Image:Jarell Quansah spent last season on the right of a back three

But the full-back position at Arsenal is very different to a traditional full-back role. Timber and Riccardo Calafiori in particular are asked to invert inside the pitch quite a lot, sometimes to the point where they take up the role as hybrid centre forwards.

In another former Leverkusen man in Piero Hincapie, however, Arteta has shown that more defensive full-backs can be used in his system.

Arsenal's fixtures at the start of the season

August 16: Manchester City (N), Community Shield, Cardiff

August 21: Coventry (H), Premier League, live on Sky Sports, kick-off 8pm

August 31: Aston Villa (A), Premier League, live on Sky Sports, kick-off 8pm

September 6: Chelsea (H), Premier League, live on Sky Sports, kick-off 4.30pm

September 12: Sunderland (A), Premier League, kick-off 8pm

September 19: Brighton (A), Premier League, kick-off 3pm

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