Mikel Arteta eyes the versatile defender to bolster his injury-hit backline, but the German champions view the tactical chameleon as untouchable for their new-look defensive project.
Arsenal's interest in Jarell Quansah makes sense on several levels. Mikel Arteta is looking for defensive cover with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber dealing with injuries, and Quansah offers something Arsenal have already valued in a recent Leverkusen signing: a centre-back who can also give you flexibility across the defensive line.
There is an obvious comparison with Piero Hincapié.
The Ecuadorian spent four seasons at Leverkusen before joining Arsenal permanently this summer following his loan spell, having made 39 appearances for the Gunners last season. Primarily a centre-back in Germany, Hincapié benefited from Die Werkself's system, which allowed him to operate in a hybrid role between left centre-back and left-back, particularly with Alejandro Grimaldo operating as the left wing-back and given the freedom to push forward. That experience helped him adapt seamlessly to Arteta’s system, where most of his minutes came at left-back, while still giving Arsenal the option of moving him into the centre when needed.
Quansah offers the mirror image on the other side.
He is naturally a centre-back but is comfortable operating at right-back, giving Arteta the kind of tactical insurance that has become increasingly valuable in his squad. Arsenal's interest is therefore not simply about adding another central defender. They appear to be looking at a player who could cover multiple positions without forcing a major change to the team's structure.
For Bayer, however, that versatility is precisely why selling him would be so problematic.
Bayer have spent much of the summer rebuilding their defence. Miguel Gutiérrez has arrived from Napoli to take over at left-back, while Facundo Medina has been brought in from Marseille and can operate both centrally and on the left. Medina has also just come through a World Cup with Argentina and signed a contract until 2031.
The plan is beginning to take shape. But Quansah is an important part of it.
Quansah's ability to operate both at centre-back and right-back gives Leverkusen the flexibility to build in different ways without needing a completely different starting XI for each system.
That appears to be particularly important to Carles Martínez. The new coach wants Die Werkself to retain some of the tactical flexibility that defined Xabi Alonso's side. A team capable of switching between a back three and a back four depending on the opponent and the demands of the game.
That is where the profiles of Miguel Gutiérrez and Facundo Medina become particularly important. Medina, Edmond Tapsoba and Quansah could form a back three, with all three centre-backs comfortable enough to defend wider areas when required. Gutiérrez can then push forward from the left, giving Leverkusen an attacking outlet without completely compromising their defensive structure.
At the same time, the same group gives Martínez the option of moving into a back four. Quansah can shift to right-back, Medina can cover the left side if required, and Gutiérrez can operate as a more conventional full-back.
That versatility is the point.
Remove Quansah from the equation, and Leverkusen loses one of the pieces that makes the system adaptable. Suddenly, Bayer could need another starting-level centre-back and another right-back, on top of the defensive reinforcements they have already brought in.
That could leave Leverkusen replacing at least three members of their defensive line in one summer, a huge amount of turnover for a team still learning a new coach's ideas.
Quansah's departure would therefore not simply be another profitable transfer. It would create another recruitment problem at a time when Bayer is trying to establish a new defensive structure.
Leverkusen Hold All the Cards Over Quansah
Die Werkself's reported internal decision that Quansah is not for sale is perfectly understandable. According to Sky Sport Germany, there is no release clause Arsenal can activate and no longer an active Liverpool buy-back option, leaving Leverkusen firmly in control of the defender's future.
Arsenal may see Quansah as another Hincapié-type solution, a centre-back capable of stepping into a full-back role without compromising the team's structure.
Leverkusen, however, sees him from a very different perspective. With Gutiérrez and Medina already brought in and a new right-back still being sought, Quansah could be the player who makes the rest of the defensive rebuild work.
Selling him now would mean opening another hole in a defence that is already being rebuilt, potentially forcing Leverkusen to start over before the first rebuild is even complete.
