'Big future ahead': Liverpool told they've got a 'very astute' young player coming through after U21 display

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It has not been only the senior international teams who have featured Liverpool players during the ongoing break.

The Reds have seen 17 players head off to play for their nations as the season is paused for the second time.

That number has since been reduced, with the news that Virgil van Dijk will head back to Liverpool after being sent off for the Netherlands on Friday night. The Liverpool captain will be banned for Monday’s game against Germany.

Mohamed Salah is also returning to Merseyside after Egypt ruled that the 32-year-old should not be subjected to a difficult pitch and heavy-handed tactics from Mauritania.

Finally, Curtis Jones has cut short his stay with England, with the reasons for Jones’ premature exit still yet to be fully disclosed. By all accounts it is not injury related, though.

Despite those three withdrawals, the Liverpool squad has still seen plenty of action. And with nobody really stepping up and shining on the senior international stage, Jarell Quansah has been highlighting his quality with the England U21s.

Jarell Quansah praised for England display

Quansah has had a good week. The 21-year-old signed his first contract extension since breaking into the Liverpool first-team on Monday.

That was followed with a 90-minute performance during England U21’s 2-1 win over Ukraine on Friday.

Although Quansah would no doubt prefer to be in the senior Three Lions team, the fact that he’s now an undisputed starter for the U21s shows just how far he’s come over the past year.

The Liverpool academy graduate only made his debut for the age group a year to the day on Saturday and has since earned seven caps and been called into the men’s squad, too.

READ MORE: Liverpool fans are all saying the same thing after Jarell Quansah signs new contract

And although Quansah’s season has not starting hugely brilliantly under Arne Slot, it’s obvious that he has the potential to be a starter for Liverpool in the future.

Watching on as England beat Ukraine on Friday, journalist Bobby Manzi hailed Quansah and predicted a ‘big future’ for the centre-back.

“Jarell Quansah is very astute,” says Manzi. “He reads the game extremely well and judges his interventions to perfection while having quality on the ball.

“A big future ahead for the LFC defender.”

Will Jarell Quansah soon get his chance?

You could forgive Quansah for being a little frustrated this season. The England U21 star did begin the season as part of Liverpool’s best XI afer all.

But having been hauled of at half-time of Liverpool’s opening Premier League game of the season against Ipswich, Quansah has only made one further appearance; in the Carabao Cup versus West Ham.

Of course, the youngster should not be too downhearted, though. Ibrahima Konate has always been the more senior option in the Liverpool defence and Konate is in great form.

That Quansah is behind both the Frenchman and Virgil van Dijk for a starting berth at Anfield is no shame at all.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to see how Quansah breaks into the team with Konate and Van Dijk in the form that they are in. Unless injury strikes for either one, it looks set to be a season of consolidating his place in the squad for Jarell. One way or another, though, his time will surely come.