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"From the outside, it appears insane," the young defender remarks, as he reflects on his summer just gone, when dizzying change felt like a constant. "But it is one of them ... football is a unpredictable game."

A Quick Recap

Shortly after winning the European Under-21 Championship with the English national team at the end of June, Quansah opted to depart from his childhood club, to join the Bundesliga side in a multi-million pound transfer.

The significant transfer sum brought high expectations as the 22-year-old was charged with settling in in a foreign land and at a team where the churn was substantial. Erik ten Hag had stepped in to succeed the previous coach and a host of star performers were departing or already left – chief among them several high-profile names, Piero Hincapié, Jeremie Frimpong, prominent athletes, Granit Xhaka, Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah.

League Introduction

Quansah's first league appearance came on August 23rd at their home ground to Hoffenheim and the central defender scored after five minutes, though the goal was overshadowed by tragedy. His primary thought was his former Liverpool teammate, who was tragically lost in a road incident. Quansah executed Jota's gamer celebration as a tribute.

"To have a goal on your first Bundesliga match, at home, after the opening moments, is definitely a whirlwind," Quansah says. "But my overwhelming feeling was that it was a homage to Diogo."

Initial Struggles

The player could have been excused for questioning what he had committed to at Leverkusen. After the encouraging beginning in their first league game, they fell to a narrow loss and the next match on August 30th was equally disappointing. Ten Hag's team threw away comfortable advantages to finish level at their reduced opponents, the tying goal coming in added time. It was not Ten Hag's team for much longer. He was sacked on September 1st.

Staying Focused

Quansah doesn't appear to be the kind to worry. If composure characterizes his playing style, it was on show during the conversation he participated in after joining the national team for the Wembley friendly against their rivals and the World Cup qualifier against their next opponents.

Quansah has kept his head down under the current coach, the Danish tactician, and continued to do what he always intended to do at the club – play. The new manager has brought stability. His squad have positive results in four league matches along with draws in each of their Champions League ties. But there is a more significant number that motivates the player, even bringing a sense of justification. It is the one which shows he has played every minute of the team's season.

International Recognition

It is one that Thomas Tuchel has observed. The national team manager was a admirer last season, including him when he announced his initial selection. After omitting him in June so that Quansah could concentrate on the Under-21 European Championship, he provided him with a last-minute inclusion in September when John Stones was compelled to pull out.

Still to win his international debut, Quansah must have impressed sufficiently in practice sessions and around the camp because he was named at the beginning in Tuchel's 24‑man group for Wales and Latvia, essentially as a additional defensive option with the regular starter returning. The dream is a first appearance. It is one more milestone he would surely take in his stride.

Career Choices

"At Leverkusen, the team were keen on signing me for a considerable time and that's not just from the coach," Quansah says. "Their interest existed before he got appointed. So knowing it was a type of organizational choice and nothing would change with whatever coach was to take over ... it was straightforward for me to choose this path.

"There were a numerous squad members leaving and it's consistently challenging when you see important figures leave. It has been difficult to establish new hierarchies but the results we have had recently show that we have developed a good squad with talented individuals. It is requiring patience to develop and we are still progressing. But if we are getting results and not losing that is a solid foundation to begin from."

Liverpool Departure

It had to have been a difficult separation for Quansah to depart from his long-time club, his team since childhood, where he enjoyed so many memorable moments – such as the Carabao Cup final victory over their London rivals in 2023‑24 when he came on as an extra-time substitute.

Quansah was also a part of last season's domestic championship success. Yet his perspective of most of that achievement was not the one he would have chosen. He was an unused substitute on multiple matches in the competition, his four starts and nine appearances falling short compared to his numbers from 2023‑24 when he featured more regularly.

Professional Growth

"I consistently developed off some of the best players around me at Liverpool and it's been incredibly beneficial for my professional development," he says. "But as a young centre-back, you need games and I'm will require extensive playing time to be at my desired level.

"I just wanted regular playing opportunities and when you are at a top-level club, it's not promised because there are world-class players throughout the squad. I wanted somewhere where they can trust that I might make mistakes at times but they will look under that and see I can keep pushing and pushing."

Early Experience

Quansah recalls his loan to the lower division club in the later part of that season where he debuted at professional level – multiple matches, to be precise. There were "numerous wake-up calls", he says with a smile, beginning with his first game; a heavy loss at their opponents.

"That represented a true eye-opener," Quansah reflects. "It was a extremely important part of my career because I aimed to take the next step to regular senior competition. Each match I gained fresh insights. That's when I knew how crucial practical knowledge and match practice was. You could say it informed my decision in the off-season."