After a "strong pitch," Liverpool receives the answer they desired to complete their first midfield deal
Liverpool had set their sights on England international Jude Bellingham as they looked to strengthen their midfield for the upcoming season. However, their pursuit of the Borussia Dortmund man ended in disappointment last week when they conceded that they could not afford the £80 million price tag on Bellingham. Despite the setback, Liverpool fans can take solace in the fact that the club has been actively looking for alternatives, with recent reports indicating that they have approached Ryan Gravenberch's representatives with a "strong pitch" to join the Reds.
Gravenberch is a 20-year-old midfielder who was signed by Bayern Munich for around £20 million from Ajax during the summer transfer window. Although he has made 27 appearances for the club in all competitions this season, most have come off the bench, as the pairing of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka has been preferred. With his lack of game time at Bayern, Gravenberch is reportedly keen to move to Liverpool in search of more regular playing time.
Liverpool has reportedly liaised with Gravenberch's representative Rafaela Pimenta and his father Ryan senior over a possible move this summer. Although Bayern is not willing to make a loss on their man, a fee in the region of £20 to £25 million would leave Liverpool with enough funds to strengthen other areas of their squad.
Interestingly, Gravenberch has donned the Liverpool shirt before, as an online photo recently emerged of him wearing a Liverpool shirt from the 2019/20 season. The shirt featured a badge for the Club World Cup, and it was handed to him by Ki-Jana Hoever, a former Ajax colleague who was at Liverpool between 2018 and 2020.
Gravenberch has already won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax and has been capped 11 times by Holland. His former manager at Ajax, Erik ten Hag, has previously compared him to World Cup winner Paul Pogba.
In summary, Liverpool's plans to strengthen their midfield have hit a roadblock with the failure to sign Bellingham. However, they have responded by pursuing Gravenberch, who is keen to join the club. Although a move would require a significant fee, Liverpool has the funds to make it happen and could benefit from Gravenberch's potential and ability in midfield.
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