Liverpool have already settled personal terms with a defender who may rejoin in 2027 to coincide with Virgil van Dijk ‘likely departing’ then, a report has disclosed.

After enjoying consistency at centre-half, Liverpool began the process of restructuring their defensive line this summer.

Teenager Giovanni Leoni arrived from Parma and despite only being 18, is regarded as senior-team ready by the Merseyside club.

Leoni was recently called up to Italy’s senior squad for the first time ahead of their World Cup clashes with Estonia and Israel.

A swoop for Marc Guehi was agreed but collapsed late after Crystal Palace refused to sanction it. Liverpool remain heavily tipped to capture Guehi eventually, either in January or next summer.

Quansah switched to Leverkusen for £35m and that agreement featured a buy-back clause worth around €60m (£51.5m).

Liverpool are able to trigger the clause from 2027 onwards and news of its inclusion has been broadly reported and well known.

Yet Steele has now stated Liverpool also settled terms with Quansah. Meaning, if they do trigger the buy-back clause, then personal terms are already arranged and his comeback would face no obstacles.

‘Jarell Quansah. It can be revealed Liverpool possess a prior agreement with Quansah regarding a future contract should they utilise their buyback clause added when he was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m this summer,’ Steele wrote.

‘They rate him very highly, like Harvey Elliott and Ben Doak, and only sanctioned his sale because the offer was strong and the defender wanted regular minutes – something Slot could not guarantee here.’

But once the 2027 summer arrives, Virgil van Dijk’s deal ends and he will be approaching 36 years of age.

Steele strongly implied Van Dijk will move on from Liverpool at that stage, while doubts over Ibrahima Konate (contract expiring 2026) and Joe Gomez mean reinforcements such as Quansah may be essential.

The Mail journalist added: ‘But with Van Dijk likely going in two years, Konate uncertain on his future and Gomez nearly leaving across two summers, they will require more defenders in forthcoming windows.

‘Nothing is guaranteed, though Quansah could be an option to return.’