Thomas Tuchel has always shown faith in me, even when I didn’t always believe

Jarell Quansah has credited Thomas Tuchel for his new-found versatility which has helped him to become an England regular. After being handed his Three Lions debut by Tuchel in November 2025, the Bayer Leverkusen defender has quickly established himself as one of the German’s most trusted operators. In the last year, Quansah has earned nine senior caps – three of which came at last summer’s World Cup following his surprise inclusion. A key reason for the defender’s continued presence in the England squad is his versatility, with Tuchel a known fan of this. Predominantly a central defender, Quansah has also proven himself a reliable option at right-back when called upon. This proved particularly important at the World Cup, where injury to Reece James meant that Quansah was required to deputise at points during the tournament. And while the 23-year-old endured a nightmare moment when his red card made for a nervy end to England’s thrilling victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, Tuchel’s faith in him has not wavered. In the last international break, Quansah played the full 90 minutes in three of the Three Lions’ four Nations League games, and has once again been included in the 25-man squad for this week’s fixtures against Croatia and Spain, both live on talkSPORT. And the ex-Liverpool man insists Tuchel’s continued trust has helped him to carve out a key role for the national team. Quansah: Tuchel’s belief is key Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Quansah hailed Tuchel’s influence on him and credited his manager for giving him the belief to perform in new roles. Asked about the importance of his manager’s trust, the Leverkusen star said: “It’s huge. He’s always shown massive faith in me. “Even when I may not believe, sometimes, in the positions I’m playing in what exactly I’m capable of. “But he’s definitely opened my eyes to what I am capable of and what I can provide for this team. In whatever capacity it may be. “He’s said I can play in different positions and be helpful for the team. So as long as I can keep doing that for my country, I’m always going to be proud and happy to do that.” ‘Pigeonholed’ Quansah’s increasingly versatile role isn’t strictly limited to England duty – he has also showcased this ability for Bayer Leverkusen. The Englishman has been in superb form for the Bundesliga outfit since joining the club in a record £30million switch in 2025. So much so in fact, that he has been attracting interest from a number of top clubs, with Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea reportedly keen , as well as European giants Real Madrid . A return to Anfield remains a possibility, with the Reds inserting a £59.5m buy-back clause for their academy star as part of Quansah’s Leverkusen deal. On his individual development: Quansah added: “I think my heat map is a lot different to what it was a few seasons ago. “Like I say, it’s still stuff to learn and get your head around a little bit. But I’m super happy with what I’ve been able to learn and what I’m able to keep pushing towards and adding different parts to my game. “Because sometimes when you’re pigeonholed as a centre-back or a certain position, you can’t express exactly what your best strengths are. “But when you play right-back and different positions, you can show a little bit more of your game and what you can be about as well.”