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"From the outside, it seems crazy," the young defender says, as he looks back on his summer just gone, when dizzying change felt like a constant. "But it is one of them ... football is a crazy game."

A Quick Recap

Days after claiming victory in the European Under-21 Championship with England at the conclusion of June, Quansah opted to depart from Liverpool, to go to Bayer Leverkusen in a multi-million pound transfer.

The significant transfer sum brought big pressure as the 22-year-old was tasked with settling in in a new country and at a team where the churn was dramatic. Erik ten Hag had stepped in to replace Xabi Alonso and a number of star performers were departing or already left – including Florian Wirtz, Piero Hincapié, Jeremie Frimpong, prominent athletes, experienced professionals, established players and Jonathan Tah.

Bundesliga Debut

Quansah's Bundesliga debut came on August 23rd at home to Hoffenheim and the centre-half found the net after five minutes, albeit the goal was undercut by tragedy. His primary thought was Diogo Jota, who was tragically lost in a road incident. Quansah executed his teammate's signature celebration as a tribute.

"To have a goal on your Bundesliga debut, in front of home fans, after five minutes, is certainly a whirlwind," Quansah says. "But my overwhelming feeling was that it was a tribute to Diogo."

Initial Struggles

The player could have been excused for questioning what he had signed up for at the German club. After the encouraging beginning in their first league game, they fell to a narrow loss and the following game on August 30th was just as bad. Ten Hag's team squandered comfortable advantages to finish level at 10-man Werder Bremen, the equaliser coming in stoppage time. It was not Ten Hag's team for much longer. His dismissal came on September 1st.

Maintaining Composure

Quansah does not come across as the kind to worry. If calmness characterizes his playing style, it was evident during the interview he gave after being selected for the national team for the Wembley friendly against their rivals and the qualifying match against their next opponents.

Quansah has remained focused under the current coach, Kasper Hjulmand, and continued to do what he originally planned to do at the club – play. The new manager has brought stability. His team have three wins and one draw in four league matches along with draws in each of their European matches. But there is a more significant number that motivates the player, even bringing a measure of vindication. It is the one which shows he has played every minute of the team's season.

National Team Attention

It is something that Thomas Tuchel has noted. The England head coach was a admirer last season, selecting Quansah when he announced his initial selection. After omitting him in June so that Quansah could concentrate on the Under-21 European Championship, he gave him a late call-up in September when John Stones was forced to withdraw.

Yet to earn 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 the upcoming matches, effectively as a fifth centre-back with Stones fit again. The dream is a first appearance. It is one more milestone he would certainly handle with ease.

Decision Making

"At Leverkusen, the team were interested in me for a while and that's not just from the manager [Ten Hag]," Quansah says. "Their interest existed before he got appointed. So knowing it was a sort of organizational choice and nothing would change with whatever coach was to take over ... it was easy for me to choose this path.

"There were a numerous squad members leaving and it's always tough when you lose key players. It has been tough to build the leadership groups but the results we have had [under Hjulmand] show that we have developed a good squad with quality players. It is requiring patience to build and we are still progressing. But if we are achieving positive outcomes and avoiding defeats that is a good place to begin from."

Leaving Childhood Club

It had to have been a wrench for Quansah to leave Liverpool, his team since childhood, where he enjoyed so many significant occasions – such as the Carabao Cup final victory over their London rivals in the previous season when he came on as an extra-time substitute.

Quansah was also involved in last season's Premier League title triumph. Yet his view of much of that was not the one he would have chosen. He was an unused substitute on multiple matches in the competition, his limited playing time comparing unfavourably with his statistics from the prior season when he started nine games.

Professional Growth

"I've always learned off top-level professionals around me at my former club and it's been so good for my career," he comments. "However, for a developing defender, you need games and I'm will require extensive playing time to be where I want to be.

"I just wanted regular playing opportunities and when you are at a top-level club, it's not guaranteed because there are world-class players throughout the squad. I wanted an environment where they can have confidence that I could errors at times but they will look under that and see I can continue developing and pushing."

Early Experience

Quansah remembers his temporary transfer to the lower division club in the second-half of 2022-23 where he made his first senior appearances – multiple matches, to be exact. There were "multiple reality checks", he says with a grin, starting with his debut; a 5-1 defeat at their opponents.

"That was a genuine revelation," Quansah says. "It was a extremely important chapter in my development because I aimed to take the next step to regular senior competition. Every game I learned something new. That's when I knew how crucial practical knowledge and match practice was. You could say it informed my choice in the summer."