1 year ago
194 Journalist Rory Smith suggested that Liverpool had previously earmarked Ryan Gravenberch as a potential generation-defining midfielder along with Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Smith was speaking on The Monday Night Club on BBC Radio 5 Live as the 21-year-old edges closer to his debut for the Reds.
Ryan Gravenberch became Liverpool’s final signing of a turbulent summer transfer window. The youngster had been linked with the Bayern Munich exit throughout the summer. But it was only right at the end where he got the green light to leave for Anfield in a £34 million move.
Liverpool confident Gravenberch is a generational talent
Of course, Liverpool have completely overhauled their midfield this summer. And Gravenberch was the final piece of the jigsaw before the deadline.
He did have a difficult time at Bayern, only making a handful of starts for the Bundesliga giants. And obviously, signings that late in the window can sometimes be panic buys.
However, Liverpool have been monitoring Gravenberch for a long time. And Smith suggested that the Reds hierarchy believe that he has the talent to be one of the very best in the world in this era.
“I think at Ajax, he was fantastic. He looked like the next one off the conveyor belt. I think he was Frenkie de Jong’s direct replacement. He was the player that they’d earmarked to replace de Jong two or three years before he left. They said, look we’re going to have to shift de Jong out so we can get Gravenberch in,” he told The Monday Night Club.
“He has the talent, he was one of three players I think Liverpool had identified as potential generational-defining midfielders along with Bellingham and Tchouameni, which isn’t bad company to keep.”
Potential bargain for the Reds
Liverpool fans knew that they had signed a potential star in Gravenberch. But clearly, there will have been concerns about how little he played at Bayern – particularly if he is going to be mentioned alongside Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Bellingham has obviously made an unbelievable start to life with Real Madrid. And everything suggests that he is going to indeed be one of the greats of his generation.
It is probably fair to say that Gravenberch has some catching up to do after a frustrating year in Germany. But if he gets close to the other two players, there is no doubt that Liverpool have secured themselves an incredible bargain.
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