Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confessed that his decision not to recruit a center-back during the summer transfer window was influenced by the rise of home-grown teenager Jarell Quansah.

The Reds prioritized midfield recruitment ahead of the new season, bringing in Alexis MacAllister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Gravenberch to replace the five players that left the center of the field, including Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who both went to Saudi Arabia.

Centre-backs Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips, both of whom have previously played major first-team roles, were also permitted to move on loan to Scottish clubs. At the time, Quansah had yet to make his Liverpool debut, and the Reds appeared to be lacking defensively.

“Jarell played a super game [against LASK], that’s true,” Klopp reflected in the wake of another impressive performance from the 20-year-old in midweek.

“That couldn’t be better news for the club, to be honest. I think before this season a lot of people told us we should buy a centre-half. We knew we had Jarell. Did we know that he will show up like this? No, not exactly, but we were pretty hopeful, so the future is bright. It’s cool.”

With Joe Gomez frequently used as a back-up for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, Quansah has quickly risen through the ranks to become a mainstay in Liverpool’s center-back rotation.

In the Premier League, Virgil van Dijk is usually partnered by either Ibrahima Konate or Joel Matip, while Quansah’s chances have mostly come in the Carabao Cup and Europa League. He actually began the season by playing 90 minutes for Liverpool’s Under-23 side against local rivals Everton in Premier League 2 before being moved to the top squad on a permanent basis.