There's no denying that Liverpool are enjoying a tremendous resurgence after falling by the wayside last season, with Jurgen Klopp's summer transfer activity fuelling the new era for "Liverpool 2.0" – as the German has coined his new-look team.
A fifth-placed Premier League finish in 2022/23 meant that the Anfield side's illustrious seven-year stay in the Champions League came to an end, but even qualifying for the Europa League looked unattainable before a brilliant late-season purple patch, laying the framework for this term's restored approach.
But this year, the remoulding of the midfield has thrown Liverpool back into contention for the Premier League title, having lost just one of the opening 15 fixtures – two points behind first-placed Arsenal and boasting a four-point cushion over Manchester City, who languish in fourth.
Liverpool's production line has not been the most prolific over the years – certainly when comparing the success of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea's academy numbers, but several key figures have filtered through over the years.
Steven Gerrard is the salient example, obviously, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is fashioning a career of immense proportions and Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are both talented young players with big futures ahead.
Breaking into the first team this year, Jarell Quansah has been the latest homegrown prospect to make a mark on Klopp's side, with the German manager unquestionably raising the standard of the formative fold alongside the silver-laden success that has rained down in red on Merseyside since his appointment in 2015.
Jarell Quansah's season in numbers
Quansah spent last season out on loan with League One side Bristol Rovers, joining on a short-term deal in January and making 16 appearances as the Somerset side finished 17th.
His manager at the time said this: “He’s as good on the ball that you’ll need to be in terms of building out from the back. He’s going to get bigger, he’s going to get stronger, he’s going to get faster. His anticipation of the game is going to be better because more senior games get you that. He has an enormous future in front of him."
It's a testament to his talent that Klopp decided to focus his summer attention solely on the rebuilding of the engine room, not bolstering the backline despite clear signs that reinforcements were necessary.
Quansah was given a shot, and after impressing against Newcastle United on his Premier League debut as ten-man Liverpool clinched a resounding comeback victory, Alexander-Arnold heralded his "absolutely phenomenal" effort.
Having now chalked up ten senior showings for his outfit – earning an assist as Liverpool defeated Leicester City in the Carabao Cup – Quansah has proved his worth in the senior squad and won over the hearts of supporters, who eagerly anticipate his continuing rise to the top.
Featuring prominently in the Europa League, the 20-year-old has completed 91% of his passes, averaged 3.5 ball recoveries and 2.3 clearances per game and won a decent 56% of his contested duels, as per Sofascore.
He's more than just a promising starlet and there is a real opportunity over the coming months for Quansah to stake a claim for increased responsibility following stricken Joel Matip's season-ending ACL injury, with the 32-year-old Cameroonian also out of contract at the end of the campaign.
According to CIES Football Observatory's valuation model, the 6 foot 5 colossus is currently valued at £4m, and while this figure will only rise over the coming years, it's a reminder of how early into his professional career he is.
The Reds hold another player of even greater potential in Stefan Bajcetic, who has scarcely been seen since the early months of 2023 after sustaining an abductor injury to end his tremendous breakthrough campaign back in March but is undoubtedly a prodigious talent.
The fee Liverpool paid for Stefan Bajcetic
Bajcetic was signed from Celta Vigo for just £224k in December 2020 when he was just 16-years-old, with Klopp's side convincing him to join the club despite interest from Manchester United.
Now among the most exciting hopefuls in the ranks, Bajcetic made 33 appearances for Liverpool's youth sides, posting five goal contributions, before the first-team came calling, in need of something different.
The 19-year-old made his debut off the bench in the early phase of the 2022/23 campaign, entering the play as Liverpool trounced Bournemouth 9-0 in the Premier League.
Not featuring again until the end of the festive period, Bajcetic burst into life and cemented a prominent role in the team as Liverpool struggled for form.
Stefan Bajcetic's current market value
Described as "special" by journalist Zubin Daver, Bajcetic blitzed into life last season, with Liverpool's flagging midfield in desperate need of some energy and youthful exuberance, which the Spaniard brought in abundance.
Michael Owen (17y 141d)
Raheem Sterling (17y 317d)
Stefan Bajcetic (18y 65d)
Robbie Fowler (18y 191d)
Jamie Carragher (18y 356d)
*Sourced via Sky Sports
Scoring a brilliant goal against Aston Villa in December, Bajcetic ended up playing 11 times in the English top-flight, complementing his goal with a 79% pass success rate, also succeeding in 64% of his dribbles and winning 3.1 duels per game.
CIES Football Observatory now places the teenager at £17m, and given that there is still so much room for improvement and growth, musing over where he will be in a few years time is an exciting thought indeed.
FBref even liken Arsenal's Declan Rice to the "top player" – as he has been called by Klopp – and there is evidence that he will push for a starring role in the team over the coming years.
Unfortunately, he has been sidelined for the vast majority of the current campaign and has only made two appearances across cup competitions, also sitting four of the opening five Premier League matches on the bench, unused.
Liverpool are understood to be easing the player back, making no mistakes as they guide him back to fitness and allow his body to grow without hindering his development by throwing him into the deep end.
When he returns, though, there's no denying that a frisson of excitement will course throughout Anfield, and with the Spanish starlet joining Quansah in Liverpool's latest wave of talent, there is so much to look forward to for the club's ardent support.
