Liverpool dealt massive transfer blow as Arsenal 'in talks' to sign Virgil van Dijk replacement

Arsenal have entered talks to sign a player that could prove vital to Liverpool's future as their replacement for Virgil van Dijk.

The 2026/27 transfer window has already been one of the craziest in recent history, with the British record broken twice by Elliot Anderson's £116million move to Manchester City and then by Morgan Rogers joining Chelsea for £117m.

Yet, both reigning Premier League champions Arsenal and 2024/25 champions Liverpool have remained relatively quiet over the summer, making just a handful of signings each.

So far this summer, Arsenal have focused on signings in midfield and attack, with their biggest incomings being former Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes and ex-Club Brugge forward Christos Tzolis.

Meanwhile Liverpool have signed Spanish winger Victor Munoz, who joined after his €40million (£34.6m) release clause at Osasuna was triggered in June, and Barcelona's Ronald Araujo, who joined on loan to help address the ongoing defensive crisis.

It's no secret that the future of Liverpool's defence looks slightly alarming having lost Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer at end of last season, with Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet both injured.

And now, Arsenal may make this situation even worse as a shock report has revealed that the Gunners are in talks to sign Jarell Quansah, a player long tipped to be the replacement for Liverpool captain Van Dijk.

As reported by Sky Sports, Arsenal are exploring a move for the England defender, who left Liverpool to join Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen last season for £30m.

Although Liverpool allowed Quansah to leave last year, the deal includes a buy-back clause that would allow them to bring the defender back to Anfield after a couple of seasons of regular experience in the German top-flight.

Quansah impressed in his debut season with Leverkusen, playing 44 times and catching the eye of several clubs across Europe.

Reacting to the news, one Liverpool fan wrote: "Liverpool can’t let this happen. No idea why they let him go in the first place."

While another added: "Liverpool need to get him signed up. We clearly need him back."

It is claimed that Mikel Arteta has personally mentioned Quansah as an defensive option that would fit in well at Arsenal, primarily due to his ability to play at both centre-back and right-back.

And with both Jurrien Timber and William Saliba out injured heading into the 2026/27 season, Quansah could be a perfect fit at Arsenal.

However, it's thought that Leverkusen don't want to sell the 23-year-old, having been impressed with both his performances and his overall attitude in his first season in Germany.

Therefore, Arsenal would likely need to pay a fee far north of the £30m the paid for Quansah last July to secure his signature, especially given the fact he's tied down at Leverkusen for another four years.

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What are the details of Liverpool's buy-back clause for Quansah?

As part of Liverpool's sale to Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds included a hefty £70m buy-back option into the centre-back's contract, ensuring they can still bring him back in the future should he perform well in Germany.

Cleverly, they also included a specific clause that would see this buy-back option reduce to only £52m if they wait until the 2027 summer transfer window.

With Van Dijk's contract set to expire in June 2027, this sets Liverpool up with the perfect option to bring a more experience Quansah back to the club to replace their captain next summer.

Of course, if Arsenal are successful in their pursuit of the Englishman, this would shatter Liverpool's plans in what would no doubt be a major blow.