Liverpool expert David Lynch has foreshadowed an extremely bright future at Anfield for an "obsessed" Jarell Quansah following his long-term contract extension.
In the space of 18 months, the centre-back has gone from being on the fringes of the first team to becoming an established member of the senior setup, rising to prominence during Jurgen Klopp's farewell season.
Quansah has found the going a bit tougher under Arne Slot, who has settled on a first-choice pairing of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk so far this season, but the 21-year-old has nevertheless put pen to paper on a new long-term deal.
Asked by Sports Mole how much of a boost it was to tie Quansah to fresh terms, Lynch replied: "Oh, absolutely, because you do wonder how disappointed is he by the fact he's out of the team at the moment? He wasn't happy when he got took off at half time at Ipswich and does that make him think, 'I'm not sure am I going to get in here' or whatever?
"But he's obviously really happy. You're talking about [a player] really enjoying life under Slot. He's another player who, like the rest of them... my understanding is there's kind of a real focus and a culture that's being embedded at the moment of trying to find improvement."
'Quansah is obsessed with improving his game'
"That's constant team meetings, constant individual meetings, looking at clips frequently to try and find improvement. Quansah is a bit renowned for this at the AXA Centre - he's a bit obsessed with that stuff in terms of really wanting to find ways he can improve his game, and Slot's a manager who likes that focus, so I can imagine those two working together."
Quansah told the official Liverpool website that he "couldn't be happier" to extend his stay at Anfield, where he has been on the books since joining as a schoolboy back in 2008.
The defender played 33 times for the Reds in all competitions in the 2023-24 campaign, scoring three goals and providing three assists and starting each of Liverpool's last four Premier League games under Klopp.
Quansah held his place in the first XI on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season against Ipswich Town, but he was hooked by Slot at half time for tactical reasons and has not played another minute in the top flight since.
In fact, the 21-year-old's only appearance for Liverpool since that win at Portman Road came in the EFL Cup thrashing of West Ham United, but Lynch is not concerned by his recent lack of action given that he is still in the embryonic stages of his career.
© Imago
'Liverpool is a really good place for Quansah to develop'
"The fact is, it's been a quiet start for him, he hasn't been in the team much, but he's still very, very young. He's got a lot of years ahead of him, and this is a really good place for him to stick around to get more games, which I'm sure he will get a lot of between now and the end of the season, but also to just keep developing as a footballer.
"I think the idea that there's more to come for him when he's already as good as he is at this age is very, very exciting and good to see him tied down now for his long-term future."
Quansah was also called up to the England squad for the first time in June following his rise to fame at Liverpool, and he was selected to the Under-21s squad for October's matches against Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
The 21-year-old hailed the arrival of Slot and his coaching style for playing a "massive part" in his happiness at Liverpool, and Lynch also made a bold claim about the Reds' new record-breaking manager and an area where he is "just as good" as his predecessor Klopp.
Liverpool sit one point clear of Manchester City and Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League table and are next in action at home to Chelsea on October 20.
Ben Knapton
