Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said the club’s decision to block another loan move for Jarell Quansah is reaping the rewards.
The centre-back is in the fray to make an eighth appearance of the season when the Reds face Toulouse in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Quansah spent the second half of last campaign on loan at Bristol Rovers before being handed a chance to impress at Anfield during the summer.
That’s exactly what the 20-year-old did as he thrust himself into Klopp’s first-team plans. Quansah made his Liverpool debut in the dramatic 2-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United in August and is recognised as fifth choice in the pecking order.
Klopp admitted that he did not foresee Quansah making such rapid headway during pre-season. And having had the opportunity to send the England youth international to garner more experience away from Merseyside, the Liverpool boss is glad that call was not made.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Toulouse game, Klopp said:
“If you would have asked me in pre-season that he would have been that good I would have been surprised, but since then I have seen him every day and I am not surprised about it anymore because I know from the first day of pre-season how good a player he will be.
“So, yes, great to have a boy from our own Academy with that quality, with that potential, we will see where it will end up, but it’s really promising.
“He’s doing extremely well so far, it’s really cool as well, he’s good on the ball, aggressive in the challenges, has everything you need and a lot of space for improvement and development.
“That’s the best possible news for Liverpool. I am really happy he is here. There were obviously talks could he go on loan, he was on loan last year, can he go on loan again; we said no, so that was obviously a very good decision.”
