EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal and Man Utd open Jarell Quansah talks

14 Aug 2026 11:07 BST | 4 min read

Jarell Quansah, Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal, Man Utd — © IMAGO

Steve Kay | Editor

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Arsenal and Manchester United are in active contract talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a shock deal to sign England international centre-back Jarell Quansah, FootballTransfers can reveal.

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Both Premier League giants are seeking reinforcements across their backline, with Arsenal desperate to increase their depth as Jurrien Timber faces “weeks” more on the sidelines.

Quansah’s ability to play both in the middle and on the right of defence has been decisive in Arsenal opening talks with the Bundesliga giants for the player, while Man Utd have been in contact with the player’s representatives over a move.

Current ETV

Jarell Quansah

D (CR)

Bayer 04

Jarell Quansah

D (CR)

Bayer 04

ETV Range

€34.2M - €41.8M

Arsenal and Man Utd step up Quansah chase

Strengthening the club’s depth in defence has been a priority for Arsenal all summer, and while Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa was Arteta’s initial target, the Gunners appear no closer to matching their rivals’ €70 million (£60m) valuation.

As talks with Villa stumble, the Premier League champions appear to be eyeing up other possibilities – with Quansah a particularly attractive option given his history in the Premier League with Liverpool.

Competition comes from Premier League rivals Manchester United, who are seeking to increase the strength in depth of their squad.

Meanwhile, Liverpool may have a buy-back option for the 23-year-old but they are not in a position to exercise it. Bild claims the Reds might have moved for him this summer for €80m, but the deal has now expired, while they have a €60m option in 12 months.

By that time, though, Quansah may be back in England playing with one of their biggest rivals.

Arsenal are thought to have an edge in negotiations with Leverkusen as the clubs have a strong relationship, yet the Bundesliga side are reticent to sell one of their star players and are set to demand a fee far in excess of the €35m they initially paid for him.

Initial indications are there is likely to be a sizeable gulf in valuations between the North London side and Leverkusen, potentially opening the door for Man Utd.

© IMAGO - Jarell Quansah, Arsenal, Club Fit

Expert opinion: Arsenal could be perfect for Quansah

Bundesliga expert Ronan Murphy says it’s no surprise to see clubs the calibre of Arsenal and Manchester United linked with Quansah – but it is a shock Liverpool have not been more actively pursuing the player.

“The answer to Liverpool's centre-back problems should have been Jarell Quansah,” he tells FootballTransfers. “The England international should have been Virgil van Dijk's successor at Anfield, but neither player nor club could wait around for that to happen. He joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 to get first-team experience and to prove himself at the highest level, and in the 12 months since, he has done exactly that.

“So it is no surprise that he is being linked with a move back to the Premier League just a year after leaving for €35m, but what is surprising is that it is not a return to Anfield that is on the cards. Instead, the composed defender has been linked with Arsenal, who would rightly value his ball-playing ability as well as his presence in the air for set pieces and general defending.

“He said himself back in 2024 that he wants to be the best defender in Europe. That is something he probably cannot achieve if he remains at Bayer Leverkusen, but Arsenal under Mikel Arteta could be the perfect place to reach that goal.”