Arsenal open talks with Bayer Leverkusen for Jarell Quansah
Arsenal opened talks with Bayer Leverkusen on 14 August 2026 over a move for England defender Jarell Quansah as they seek temporary cover for injured first-choice defenders William Saliba and Jurriën Timber during the current transfer window.
Quansah moved from Liverpool to Bayer Leverkusen last summer for an initial £30m and signed a five-year contract when he left Anfield in July. The 23-year-old featured in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad, where Tuchel deployed him at right-back and Quansah was sent off in England’s last-16 win over Mexico. Leverkusen are reported to be reluctant sellers and have set a minimum asking price of €50m (£43m). Liverpool previously held a €70m buyback option on Quansah, which has now expired.
Arsenal view Quansah as cover for Saliba and Timber, both of whom face extended absences. The club had a £30m bid for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa rejected earlier in the transfer window and are understood to be weighing multiple defensive options.
Ezri Konsa, who deputised at right-back for England during the World Cup though is primarily a central defender, is still of interest to Arsenal; Villa value the 28-year-old at £60m. Arsenal are not thought to want to match Leverkusen’s €50m demand for Quansah but could test Bayer’s resolve with a similar offer.
Mikel Arteta has confirmed the need for defensive cover while Saliba recovers, saying this week that Saliba’s back injury would take “some time to heal” and that he was unsure when the centre-back would be available again. Timber missed most of the run‑in last season with a persistent groin problem and pulled out of the Netherlands squad on the eve of the World Cup after failing to recover; Arteta said after Arsenal’s friendly defeat by Borussia Dortmund that “Jurriën is progressing really well. He’s on the pitch, he’s doing quite a lot right now, but it’s still weeks away. I cannot tell you how much.”
Alongside defensive business, Arsenal remain in the market for attacking reinforcements before the close of the window and are willing to move players to generate funds. Galatasaray have offered £38m for Gabriel Martinelli, an approach the Brazil forward has rejected, while Napoli have expressed interest in Gabriel Jesus. Ethan Nwaneri has been linked with potential departures, with Milan, Fulham, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund among clubs reportedly interested.
The futures of Myles Lewis-Skelly and other young players are unresolved after Lewis-Skelly was offered to Chelsea and Manchester United this week. When asked about transfer speculation after scoring in a friendly against Como, Arteta declined to discuss individual rumours, saying: “I’m not going to talk about speculation. If there is speculation about our players, it’s a good sign. That means our players attract attention and are doing a good job.”
Arsenal could now decide whether to test Leverkusen’s asking price by submitting an offer similar to the club’s €50m valuation for Quansah while continuing to pursue other targets before the transfer window closes.