Jarell Quansah has opened up on why he picked Liverpool over Premier League rivals Manchester United and Manchester City.
The 21-year-old centre-back, from Warrington, is enjoying an unexpected breakthrough season under Jurgen Klopp.
After spending six months on loan at League One side Bristol Rovers last season, Quansah impressed Klopp in pre-season and the rest is history.
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He has made 23 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League title contenders, forging an impressive partnership with Virgil van Dijk in the process.
Speaking to The Athletic about his rise, Quansah said: "Coming into the season, it was more about the opportunity to train with the best players in the world and learn from them."
He added: “Last summer, I probably thought the plan would be to go out on loan again. But when I went on pre-season with the first team I just said to myself, ‘You’ve got to give everything and show what you can do’.
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"Thankfully, I did that, and I was able to kick on. I’ve learned already in football that it’s a mad game and anything can happen.”
Quansah also spoke about joining Liverpool at the age of five. He trained with numerous clubs around the North West but ended up choosing the Reds.
“I went around different places to see what was out there," he added. "I did City, Manchester United, Wigan, Bolton… all of them.
“Back then, I was just playing and enjoying what I was doing. Any time I could play football, I was happy. My parents thought having more options would be better.
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“I just remember Liverpool offering the best training. That was where I enjoyed my football the most and that’s why I stayed.”
Jay Spearing, who is a player-coach in Liverpool's academy set-up, named Quansah as his stand-out performer since he joined in 2022.
"Jarell has been outstanding," he told SPORTbible. "When I first came up with the 21s, he was a lad who wanted to learn. He would ask me questions day in and day out.
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“For him, the best thing for him was to go out on loan at Bristol Rovers – to go and play against grown men who are going to throw elbows at you. He was always going to find it difficult but he needed that repetition. He needed that challenge.
Spearing added: "I remember him coming back to me and saying, 'That's probably one of the best things I've ever done'. It was a huge challenge compared to playing against an 18 or 19-year-old in Premier League 2.
“For him to go away and then come back from that loan and kick on like he's done. It's a credit to him, but it's also a credit to the staff around the place."
Featured Image Credit: Getty ImagesTopics: Liverpool, Premier League, Jurgen Klopp