Bristol Rovers are closing in on the loan signing of highly-rated Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah, Bristol Live understands, with the Gas hoping to process the teenager's paperwork in order for him to make his debut against Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.
Barton watched the 19-year-old in action during Liverpool Under-21’s 4-2 win over Paris Saint-Germain last week and the Gas have been given the green light to loan the England Under-19 international for the rest of the 2022/23 season.
There was considerable excitement among the Rovers fanbase earlier this week when president Wael Al-Qadi started following Quansah on Instagram along with goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe, who was signed on Thursday. However, Liverpool were initially reticent to allow him to leave due to concerns over defensive coverage in the squad ahead of their Premier League fixture against Chelsea and it was looking more likely he would arrive in Bristol next week.
But Quansah is training and undergoing a medical at The Quarters this morning, having travelled down to Bristol overnight, and Rovers have until 12pm today to register the powerful defender with the EFL.
He is yet to make a senior appearance for Liverpool but has trained with the Reds' first-team and been part of matchday squads under Jurgen Klopp and is considered among their brightest defensive prospects in the academy. He was part of the Reds' mid-season training camp in Dubai during the World Cup break.
Quansah also starred at the European Under-19 Championships last summer in Slovakia as England beat Israel in the final to lift the trophy with the defender one of four Young Lions - alongside goalkeeper Matthew Cox, Harvey Vale and Carney Chukwuemeka - to be named in the Team of the Tournament.
He has been with Liverpool since the age of five, making his way up through the age groups and this would be his first time away from Anfield in a professional senior environment, not dissimilar to Rovers previous loans of Elliot Anderson, James Connolly and Connor Taylor, albeit the latter having played at non-league level.
He would be, in effect, a straight replacement for Bobby Thomas following the abrupt termination of his loan from Burnley last weekend and, as a right-sided centre-back Quansah is likely to occupy the same position in the defence.
Although Barton would also ideally like another veteran presence in his defence, to complement Connolly, 21, Luca Hoole, 20, and 22-year-old Lewis Gibson, there is excitement about what Quansah could bring to the club given his talent.
At 6ft 3ins he should bring plenty of physicality, athleticism and pure defensive ability - described as a “man mountain” by Liverpool Under-18s manager Marc Bridge-Wilkinson - but his place in a Premier League academy also means he’s exceptional on the ball.
Last week, Barton bemoaned the increasing culture within top-flight academies of youngsters’ reluctance to leave on loan for EFL clubs, for fear of revealing their deficiencies and mental fragility, but in Quansah there is hope that Rovers can bring out some of his leadership skills, something that regrettably Thomas didn't bring enough of on a consistent basis.
He becomes Rovers’ second signing of the January window, after Balcombe, as they represent the first steps of what is expected to be a busy end to the month with another centre-back, midfielder and winger on the agenda.
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