Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is still interested in Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch as he works to rebuild the Anfield club’s midfield.
Is Ryan Gravenberch joining Liverpool this summer?
According to German tabloid SPORTBILD, the Premier League club is considering re-signing the Dutchman after expressing interest earlier this year.
While sources differ, it is reported that Liverpool may have to pay up to €50 million (£43 million) to gain the 21-year-old’s signature, with the Bavarian giants having signed him from Ajax for €24 million (£20 million) a year ago.
The Reds have already signed Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer, and talks with Southampton’s defensive midfielder Romeo Lavia are ongoing, but they may look to add another center striker to restore balance.
Ryan Gravenberch plays what position?
While Gravenberch will have come to the Allianz Arena ecstatic and raring to go at one of Europe’s top clubs, the 2022/23 season was anything but fruitful for the midfielder on a personal level.
Gravenberch had 33 appearances for Bayern in all competitions, winning the Bundesliga and the German Super Cup, but only started three league games, remaining little unknown.
It’s worth remembering that he’s still in the early stages of what might be a wonderful career, and that he made the move to one of the most dominant teams in football, but such a minor part will undoubtedly leave Gravenberch demanding assurances about his role.
The previous season, 21/22, the ace starred for Ajax as one of the club’s most prodigious starlets, recording an average Sofascore rating of 7.17 in the Eredivisie, completing 86% of his passes, averaging 1.1 key passes per game, and 1.6 tackles per outing – former Ajax forward Wim Kieft has even hailed him as the country’s “greatest talent.”
The 11-cap Dutchman, an industrious and assured presence on the ball, might follow in the footsteps of his colleague Gini Wijnaldum and earn an unrivaled starting spot at Anfield.
Wijnaldum joined Liverpool from Newcastle United for £25 million in 2016, one year after leaving PSV in the Netherlands, and would be vital to the club’s illustrious success under Klopp, even being branded “irreplaceable” by writer Richard Jolly.
Wijnaldum did his trade with immaculate precision and care, an unwavering middleman between the defensive and final third and a true club stalwart, his energy levels the turbo-charged motor for Klopp’s high-octane system – a perspective mirrored by former Feyenoord manager Gertjan Verbeek:
“His work ethic is excellent; he is always hard at work and always stable.” He’s the leader, not just in words, but also in how he plays the game.”
And, with a pass success rate of 87% in the Premier League for the Reds, he was the metronome and left Anfield a legend after making 237 appearances, including key roles in winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
Gravenberch has already demonstrated the breadth of his skill set, ranking among the top 7% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 24% for progressive passes, the top 18% for successful take-ons, and the top 27% for tackles per 90, according to FBref.