On the final day of the transfer window, Liverpool acquired Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich. The 21-year-old joins Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo as their new additions to the squad.
According to Liverpool management, new addition Ryan Gravenberch can fill a similar function as fellow countryman Georginio Wijnaldum.
After struggling to get consistent playing time at the Allianz Arena, Gravenberch completed a deadline-day transfer from Bayern Munich to Liverpool for an initial £34.2 million. He has, though, been a player on Liverpool’s radar for some time and was a target in 2021 when Wijnaldum departed the team for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
During his five years at Anfield, Wijnaldum had a wildly successful career, becoming a crucial part of Jurgen Klopp’s plans and hardly missing a game. He contributed to the Reds’ victories in the Premier League and the Champions League, and when he left, he was never adequately replaced.
However, the Athletic reports that club officials noticed “similarities” between Gravenberch and Wijnaldum while considering the deal, and Liverpool may have now finally identified his replacement.
According to the source, Liverpool conducted “extensive scouting of Gravenberch since his days in the youth ranks at Ajax.” The Dutchman broke Clarence Seedorf’s record when manager Erik ten Hag gave him his professional debut against PSV Eindhoven at the early age of 16 years and 130 days.
Gravenberch moved to Bayern last summer in an effort to advance his career, yet, when the time came for him to depart Ajax. But things did not go as planned for him in Germany, as Gravenberch expressed his frustration in public after not getting enough playing time under both Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann.
“I had hoped to get in more playing time than I did. I believed I would have other opportunities,” said Gravenberch.