"I feel like it’s probably my favourite position to play," Jarell Quansah said while explaining why centre-back still feels like home. Thomas Tuchel has already used him in more than one spot for England, and the pattern is hard to miss. Quansah started three of England's first four Nations League fixtures, most often at right-back, before ending up centrally at Wembley alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Tuchel's role changes for Quansah
The club move to Bayer Leverkusen has not slowed the international rise. Tuchel preferred Quansah at right-back in England's home loss to Spain and their crucial win in Croatia, then shifted him centrally for the win over Czechia at Wembley.
Quansah made clear why that matters to him. "We're very different. Different games and different teams require different players," he said of Alexander-Arnold. He added that it was "nice to be back out there with him" and called him "an outstanding player."
Why Quansah fits England's setup
The interesting part is not just that Quansah can play both roles, it is that he sounds comfortable doing both. He said right-back lets him "bring a lot of power down the side," while Trent offers a different threat from the same area. That split fits the way England have been playing under Tuchel, with Quansah saying the team have "fully gone for games and not tried to sit back."
His numbers back up the trust. He has made three Nations League appearances and three starts, and he completed 90 minutes in England's most recent Nations League match. Quansah also posted a 7.73 rating in the 7-0 win over Croatia, with a 6.92 average across the campaign.
Quansah is now a real option in two positions, and England are using that flexibility rather than treating him as a stopgap. The final Group A3 fixtures next month will show whether Tuchel keeps leaning on him at right-back, centrally, or both.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →
