Jarell Quansah, a center back who will soon compete for international honors, has been given a new, long-term contract by Liverpool.
Quansah spent part of this season splitting his time between Bristol Rovers and the academy, making 16 appearances for Joey Barton’s team during a crucial loan.
On 14 different occasions, the 20-year-old played the full 90 minutes; if it weren’t for a red card for leaning in with his head during a confrontation, he might have played longer.
In April, Barton concluded after the fact, “[He is here] to learn those lessons so he doesn’t do that in a Champions League semi-final or a pivotal game for them when the going gets tough.”
After finishing his domestic campaign, Liverpool made sure to renew the young defender’s contract before he leaves for Argentina to compete in the U20 World Cup.
The team announced his new contract on Friday, and Quansah will probably have a chance to make an impression during the first few weeks of pre-season.
With their Group E rivals Tunisia, Uruguay, and Iraq as his first opponents, Quansah—the lone Reds player to receive an England call-up—hopes to go the distance.
The competition ends on June 20, and if the Young Lions advance that far, Quansah will still have a sound break before Liverpool reassembles on July 8 at the AXA Training Center for pre-season training.
Although the 20-year-old has not yet played for Liverpool in a competitive match, he has been named to the matchday squad three times and took part in the midseason exhibition game against AC Milan.
When Quansah joined Barton’s team in the second half of the season, he quickly realized that the player had a lot of potential and upside.
“The possibilities are endless for Jarell, and I have no doubt that he will succeed in realizing his goals,” according to Barton.
