Recently, it became known that Liverpool were beaten in their pursuit of Lille defender Leny Yoro. It's never fun getting bested by Manchester United, but the question must be asked; was Liverpool's pursuit half-force because they know they have a better asset in the building already?
No, the player in question isn't Virgil van Dijk, a star to be sure but an aging one. It's not Ibrahima Konaté, who can't stay on the pitch frequently enough. It's certainly not about Joe Gomez, a solid and versatile contributor, but not a true star at centre-back.
The central defender who gives Liverpool confidence enough not to launch themselves wholeheartedly into any pursuit of a decent player at the position is none other than homegrown talent Jarell Quansah, who turned 21 just this past January.
Quansah should have a big role to play
He should be a huge part of the club's plans going forward, but what should we expect from him in season one under Arne Slot?
Quansah showed immense maturity in his first year with Liverpool's top side. He did a fantastic job when called upon due to injuries, showing impressive athleticism and even scoring a couple goals by season's end.
His speed allows him to play the aggressive football that has characterized Liverpool's centre-backs under Jürgen Klopp, and should fit nicely into Arne Slot's system as well.
As far as a role this year, there's absolutely no reason Quansah shouldn't strive to play on a weekly basis.
Ibrahima Konaté struggles mightily with fixture crowding, as he doesn't do well playing more than once a week; Quansah should be able to steal plenty of midseason performances.
However, there's a case to be made that even when both are healthy and ready to go, Quansah could be the top choice.
This past season was a big one for Quansah, as he made his Liverpool first-team debut, and his impressively mature game progressed really nicely throughout the campaign, averaging an impressive FotMob game score of 7.13 in Premier League play.
He plays well next to van Dijk and as a huge Academy talent, should certainly have a part to play this year and beyond.
The question is whether he's quite ready to take the next step to being considered a veritable top option at the position, and it wouldn't be wise to doubt his ability to force that very consideration with eye-catching play in the back.