Joey Barton prediction when managing Jarell Quansah comes true after fierce Liverpool warning

Jarell Quansah's meteoric rise has continued after being handed his first England call-up. The Liverpool defender has been named in Gareth Southgate's provisional squad for the European Championships this summer.

Quansah only made his Liverpool debut in August after impressing boss Jürgen Klopp in pre-season. Klopp was expected to sign a new central defender in the transfer window but shelved those plans due to the 21-year-old's emergence.

The Reds defender had received his first exposure to senior football in the previous campaign, when he joined League One side Bristol Rovers on loan in January 2023. He was thrown straight into the side by manager Joey Barton, who tipped Quansah to make the very top.

READ MORE: Inside Jarell Quansah's incredible rise from Liverpool breakthrough to England squad

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Barton was also asked if he could become a future England international, telling Bristol Post in February last year: "I’m mindful of not heaping too much on the kids but, why not?

“The sky’s the limit for him, he can be whatever he wants. Jürgen Klopp doesn’t feel the way he feels about you, training with the first team, unless you’re a good player. He's got anything he wants to be in front of him if he keeps working hard and he stays level-headed."

Quansah impressed during his loan spell and started 10 successive matches before being sent off against Portsmouth for an apparent headbutt. Ex-Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder Barton had a warning for the player but suggested he may learn from the experience.

“It’s disappointing but also that’s why Liverpool sent him here," he told Bristol World. "[He is here] to learn those lessons so he doesn’t do that in a Champions League semi-final or a deciding fixture, when the going gets tough and the trophies are handed out, when he gets to the big time.”

Quansah has developed admirably during his first season at Liverpool. He capitalized on Joël Matip's injury to become a regular under Klopp and ended the season ahead of France international Ibrahima Konaté in the pecking order.

The defender is joined in the England squad by colleagues Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones, who is also awaiting his first senior cap at international level.

Liverpool.com says: Quansah's international call-up is a worthy reward for his form this season. It has been a remarkable breakthrough campaign for the defender, and his loan spell at Bristol Rovers certainly appears to have helped his development.

While Barton is a polarizing figure and things ended badly for him at Bristol Rovers, he was clearly spot on when it came to recognizing Quansah's potential and understanding the purpose of his temporary spell. He's obviously learnt a lot and will now take those lessons to the international stage.