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"To an observer, it seems crazy," the young defender says, as he reflects on his recent summer, when rapid transformation felt like a constant. "However, that's just how it goes ... football is a crazy game."

A Quick Recap

Days after claiming victory in the U21 European Championship with the English national team at the conclusion of June, Quansah opted to depart from his childhood club, to go to the Bundesliga side in a multi-million pound transfer.

The significant transfer sum brought high expectations as the young defender was charged with settling in in a foreign land and at a club where the churn was dramatic. Erik ten Hag had stepped in to succeed the previous coach and a number of key players were departing or already left – including Florian Wirtz, key squad members, Jeremie Frimpong, prominent athletes, Granit Xhaka, Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah.

Bundesliga Debut

Quansah's Bundesliga debut came on 23 August at home to their opponents and the central defender scored after five minutes, though the achievement was undercut by tragedy. All he could think about was his former Liverpool teammate, who was tragically lost in a road incident. Quansah executed his teammate's signature celebration as a mark of respect.

"To have a goal on your Bundesliga debut, at home, after five minutes, is certainly a whirlwind," Quansah states. "But my overwhelming feeling was that it was a homage to Diogo."

Early Challenges

The defender could have been forgiven for wondering what he had committed to at Leverkusen. From the promising start in their first league game, they succumbed to a narrow loss and the next match on 30 August was equally disappointing. The squad squandered comfortable advantages to finish level at their reduced opponents, the tying goal coming in added time. It was no longer his responsibility for much longer. He was sacked on September 1st.

Staying Focused

Quansah does not come across as the kind to worry. If calmness defines his game, it was evident during the interview he participated in after being selected for the national team for the international friendly against Wales and the World Cup qualifier against Latvia.

Quansah has kept his head down under the current coach, the Danish tactician, and continued to do what he originally planned to do at the team – compete. The new manager has brought stability. His team have positive results in their domestic campaign along with draws in each of their Champions League ties. But there is a more significant number that motivates the player, even bringing a sense of justification. It is the fact that demonstrates he has played every minute of the club's campaign.

National Team Attention

It is something that Thomas Tuchel has observed. The national team manager was a fan last season, selecting Quansah when he named his first squad. After omitting him in the summer so that Quansah could concentrate on the Under-21 European Championship, he gave him a late call-up in September when John Stones was forced to withdraw.

Still to win his first cap, Quansah must have impressed sufficiently in practice sessions and within the squad environment because he was named at the outset in Tuchel's 24‑man group for Wales and Latvia, effectively as a additional defensive option with the regular starter returning. The aspiration is a debut. It is another thing he would surely handle with ease.

Decision Making

"At Leverkusen, the team were keen on signing me for a considerable time and that's not just from the manager [Ten Hag]," Quansah says. "They were interested before he got appointed. So knowing it was a type of organizational choice and nothing would change with which manager was to take over ... it was easy for me to choose this path.

"There were a numerous squad members departing and it's always tough when you lose key players. It has been tough to establish new hierarchies but the outcomes we have had recently demonstrate that we have got a good squad with talented individuals. It is going to take time to develop and we are still progressing. But if we are achieving positive outcomes and avoiding defeats that is a solid foundation to start."

Leaving Childhood Club

It had to have been a wrench for Quansah to leave Liverpool, his club from the age of five, where he enjoyed so many memorable moments – such as the league cup triumph over Chelsea in the previous season when he came on as an late replacement.

Quansah was also involved in the previous campaign's Premier League title triumph. Yet his view of most of that achievement was not the one he would have chosen. He was an unused substitute on multiple matches in the league, his four starts and nine appearances comparing unfavourably with his statistics from the prior season when he started nine games.

Career Development

"I consistently developed off some of the best players around me at my former club and it's been so good for my professional development," he says. "However, for a developing defender, you require match experience and I'm will require extensive playing time to be at my desired level.

"My primary desire was regular playing opportunities and when you are at a top-level club, it's not guaranteed because there are elite performers all over the pitch. I wanted an environment where they can trust that I might make mistakes at times but they will look under that and recognize I can keep pushing and pushing."

Early Experience

Quansah remembers his temporary transfer to League One Bristol Rovers in the later part of that season where he made his first senior appearances – multiple matches, to be exact. There were "multiple reality checks", he says with a grin, beginning with his first game; a heavy loss at Morecambe.

"That was a genuine revelation," Quansah says. "It was a extremely important part of my career because I wanted to make the subsequent progression to playing first-team football. Each match I learned something new. That's where I knew how crucial practical knowledge and playing games was. You could suggest it influenced my decision in the summer."