Failed £55m Arsenal bid sees Real Madrid pounce for ex-Liverpool star who’s close with Bellingham
Real Madrid are strong contenders to sign a player Arsenal have already bid £55m for, though Liverpool could disrupt their plans via a buy-back clause, according to reports.
Real Madrid have overhauled their defence twice over the past two seasons. In the summer of 2025, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras arrived.
Fast forward a year and a revamp was deemed necessary once again, with Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate and Marc Cucurella signing up.
However, with Mundo Deportivo reporting Jose Mourinho wanted another centre-back, the expectation is one more central defender will arrive in 2027.
According to the latest from German outlet BILD, the player Los Blancos are targeting is ex-Liverpool star, Jarell Quansah.
Real Madrid want Jarell Quansah
The 23-year-old was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 and since playing regularly in Germany, Quansah has elevated his game and established himself as a firm fixture in Thomas Tuchel’s England squads.
His progression saw Arsenal bid €65m / £55m for the player in the summer just gone, per the report, though Leverkusen rejected the offer.
In the end, the Premier League champions would go on to sign a similarly versatile player in the form of Ezri Konsa.
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BILD stated: ‘As reported by SPORT BILD, Real Madrid are showing great interest in Quansah, who joined Bayer Leverkusen from Liverpool for a record transfer fee of €35 million after winning the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
‘Quansah signed a contract until 2030 and, while playing for Leverkusen, became England’s 1297th full international.
‘Jude Bellingham (23) plays for Real Madrid – he is a close friend of Quansah’s on the national team.
‘The Spanish club are scouting Bayer’s defensive star very closely. The reason: Real Madrid will likely need at least two new defenders next summer.’
But while Real’s interest appears to be genuine, a Liverpool-shaped roadblock is in their path.
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Liverpool could active buy-back clause
The Reds inserted a buy-back clause into Quansah’s terms when doing business with Leverkusen last year.
The clause is understood to be set at a hefty €80m / £70m, though per the Liverpool Echo, it drops in value to a much more palatable €60m / £52m in the summer of 2027.
That reduced price point could tempt Liverpool into bringing Quansah back, and especially so if he continues to play regularly and take his game to new heights throughout the current campaign.
What’s more, the summer of 2027 is the time when Virgil van Dijk might depart. The Dutchman turns 36 next July and is in the final year of his contract.
Whether Liverpool put fresh terms forward over the course of the season remains to be seen.
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