Arsenal ‘in talks’ over signing ex-Liverpool star in shock £62m switch swoop
Arsenal are reportedly in talks over a possible transfer for a former Liverpool ace, though his club are reluctant to sell and would demand significantly more than the £30m they paid for him
Mikel Arteta could swoop for an England star(Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal are said to be in discussions over a stunning swoop for a former Liverpool star.
The Gunners are seeking defensive reinforcements ahead of the transfer window’s closure. They had previously been connected with Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, but the Midlands outfit are standing firm on their £60million valuation. It appears they may now have turned their attention to ex-Reds ace Jarell Quansah.
Sky Sports claims that Arsenal are in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen, though the German club are hesitant to sell. It’s suggested that it would require considerably more than the £30m fee that Leverkusen paid Liverpool last summer to secure the defender, who is capable of operating at both centre-back and right-back, reports Football London.
England star Jarell Quansah(Image: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
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Quansah has excelled since his switch to Germany from Anfield. Last campaign witnessed him feature 44 times across all competitions, netting five goals.
He featured in England’s squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America, though he received his marching orders in the round of 16 triumph over Mexico, forcing him to serve a two-match ban. He returned to the starting XI for the third-place play-off against France.
Liverpool might possess an edge should they wish to pip Arsenal to a deal to bring back the defender. The Reds previously held a £64m buy-back clause to re-sign the defender, though that has now lapsed.
Reports in the German press suggest that option will drop to £52m if they delay until next summer to finalise the deal.
When previously discussing a potential return to England, Quansah said ahead of the World Cup: “I always think about the now, really.
“We’ve got a massive tournament ahead of us, and at World Cups, anything can happen from one week to the next.
“You just don’t know with football, just like I didn’t know exactly when I was gonna leave Liverpool and my time at Bristol.
“So you can be anywhere in the next two years, you can be anywhere in the next 10.
“I’ve just got to think about how I can affect the now and be the best version of myself right now, and that’s all I can do.”
Arsenal are searching for a fresh centre-back following William Saliba’s injury setback. Providing an update on the Frenchman, Mikel Arteta revealed: “William Saliba is in rest mode at the moment for two weeks. He had to do almost nothing, an aggravated injury, so it’s going to take some time to heal.”
