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"To an observer, it appears crazy," the young defender remarks, as he reflects on his summer just gone, when rapid transformation felt like a constant. "However, that's just how it goes ... football is a unpredictable game."

A Quick Recap

Days after winning the U21 European Championship with England at the conclusion of June, Quansah opted to depart from Liverpool, to join the Bundesliga side in a multi-million pound transfer.

The significant transfer sum equalled big pressure as the 22-year-old was charged with settling in in a foreign land and at a club where the turnover was substantial. The new manager had taken over to succeed Xabi Alonso and a host of star performers were departing or already left – including Florian Wirtz, key squad members, influential figures, prominent athletes, experienced professionals, established players and team leaders.

Bundesliga Debut

Quansah's first league appearance came on August 23rd at home to Hoffenheim and the central defender found the net after five minutes, though the achievement was undercut by sadness. All he could think about was his former Liverpool teammate, who was killed in a car accident. Quansah executed his teammate's signature celebration as a mark of respect.

"To have a goal on your first Bundesliga match, in front of home fans, after the opening moments, is definitely a whirlwind," Quansah states. "But my overwhelming feeling was that it was a tribute to Diogo."

Early Challenges

The defender could have been forgiven for wondering what he had signed up for at Leverkusen. From the promising start in their first league game, they fell to a 2-1 defeat and the next match on August 30th was just as bad. Ten Hag's team squandered comfortable advantages to draw 3-3 at their reduced opponents, 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 type to fret. If calmness characterizes his playing style, it was on show during the conversation he participated in after being selected for England for the international friendly against Wales and the qualifying match against their next opponents.

Quansah has remained focused under the current coach, Kasper Hjulmand, and persisted in doing what he originally planned to do at the team – compete. Hjulmand has established consistency. His team have positive results in their domestic campaign along with draws in each of their Champions League ties. But there is a more significant number that encourages Quansah, even bringing a measure of vindication. It is the fact that demonstrates he has been ever-present of the club's campaign.

National Team Attention

It is one that Thomas Tuchel has noted. The England head coach was a fan previously, including him when he named his first squad. After leaving him out in the summer so that Quansah could concentrate on the youth tournament, he gave him a last-minute inclusion in the autumn when the experienced defender was compelled to pull out.

Still to win his international debut, Quansah must have done something right in training and within the squad environment because he was selected at the outset in Tuchel's 24‑man group for Wales and Latvia, effectively as a fifth centre-back with the regular starter returning. The aspiration is a debut. It is one more milestone he would certainly handle with ease.

Career Choices

"At Leverkusen, the club were interested in me for a while and that's not only from the coach," Quansah says. "Their interest existed before he got appointed. So knowing it was a sort of internal decision and nothing would change with whatever coach was to take over ... it was easy for me to make that decision.

"We had a numerous squad members leaving and it's consistently challenging when you see important figures leave. It has been difficult to establish new hierarchies but the outcomes we have had [under Hjulmand] demonstrate that we have developed a competitive team 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 solid foundation to start."

Leaving Childhood Club

It had to have been a difficult separation for Quansah to leave his long-time club, his team since childhood, where he enjoyed so many significant occasions – such as the Carabao Cup final victory over their London rivals in 2023‑24 when he was introduced as an late replacement.

Quansah was also involved in the previous campaign's Premier League title triumph. Yet his perspective of most of that achievement was not the one he would have preferred. He was an unused substitute on multiple matches in the competition, his limited playing time comparing unfavourably with his numbers from the prior season when he started nine games.

Professional Growth

"I consistently developed off some of the best players around me at my former club and it's been incredibly beneficial for my professional development," he comments. "However, for a developing defender, you require match experience and I'm going to be needing extensive playing time to be at my desired level.

"I just wanted regular playing opportunities and when you are at a top-level club, it's not guaranteed because there are elite performers all over the pitch. I wanted somewhere where they can have confidence that I might make mistakes at certain moments but they will look under that and recognize I can continue developing and pushing."

Early Experience

Quansah recalls his temporary transfer to League One Bristol Rovers in the later part of that season where he debuted at professional level – multiple matches, to be precise. There were "multiple reality checks", he notes with a grin, beginning with his debut; a 5-1 defeat at their opponents.

"That represented a genuine revelation," Quansah reflects. "It was a extremely important chapter in my development because I wanted to make the next step to playing first-team football. Every game I learned something new. That's when I understood how valuable practical knowledge and match practice was. You could say it informed my choice in the off-season."