After signing a new long-term contract with Liverpool Football Club, England center back Jarrell Quansah, who is just 21 years old, gave an exclusive interview to the club's official website to share his joy, his outlook for the future and his experience growing up with the Reds.
Kwaansah has been a member of the Liverpool youth academy since the age of five and is an outstanding representative of the Reds' youth system. So far, he has made 35 appearances for Liverpool and won the EFL Cup with the team last season. On the contract extension, Quansah said: "I'm very happy at the moment. The arrival of the new manager and his style of coaching was a big factor in my decision. I feel this is the best club for me to develop and become a better player."
Speaking about the quick decision to renew his contract, Kwaanza confessed, "There was no hesitation for too long at all. There was no consideration for other clubs at all, simply because of the environment we are in. I am feeling a winning atmosphere, as we saw last season when we were able to lift the trophy. There are a lot of players here who still have unfulfilled goals, and I'm just as hungry to win honors."
Quansah's love for Liverpool is overwhelming: "This club has been with me almost my whole life and means a lot to me. I am very excited to continue my Reds career here." He singled out the coaching team for their help: "The coaches are very clear in their intentions, they want to help each of us become better players. There is a lot of insight and detail that they want to convey to us, and to do that they use a variety of methods such as video conferencing, one-on-one conversations, etc. I think what that means for me as a player is that I try to get better because I'm at a developmental stage in my career right now."
Reflecting on the growth of the past year, Kwaanza was overwhelmed with emotion, "Last season was incredible! I've been waiting for a moment of reflection, trying to make sense of everything that happened. These experiences have made me even more excited to sign a new contract." On his goals for the year ahead, he said, "I want to take it one step at a time and treat every training session as a new challenge. Continue to improve, work hard and learn from the older players around me."
Quansah singled out Van Dyke's influence on him, "He's my direct partner and captain on the field and helps me a lot. Everything he does on the field, you can hear him giving me instructions and helping me during the game. Off the field, he's always coaching me on little details, different insights, and a little bit about being a striker." Quaanza hopes he can reach the level that Van Dyke has, stay consistent and continue to improve.
Finally, Quansah spoke about his long-term goals: "I want to win trophies. Liverpool as a club demands it. Since our youth days, we have been hungry to win. During my new contract, I want to be able to say that I have won the Premier League and the Champions League. I do think we have that in us and I believe we can work towards that goal."
