The desire to sign Ryan Gravenberg in the summer has been no secret as his Bayern career stalled.It took until deadline day for the deal to be completed but Jurgen Klopp was pleased with the £35million move that saw the Liverpool midfielder close the transfer window. Alexis McAlsiter and Dominic Soboslay were two celebrities who joined.Now, more than halfway through the season, it’s safe to say that Gravenbirch has more to prove than the other two players.
Against Arsenal on Sunday, Klopp caught the attention of the Dutchman when he thwarted his opponents’ attempts to press ahead of the first goal.The Liverpool manager was a lively figure in the dugout and Gravenbirch’s line-up could not take him far. The 21-year-old is set for big things under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and needs to prove he won’t be the next Dutch prospect to lose his potential.
McAllister and Soboslay were regulars in the starting line-up when they performed well, but have been out for some time. One person’s misfortune can be another person’s opportunity. Gravenbirch should take advantage of this. Wataru Endo has returned from the Asian Cup, while Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones remain viable options for Klopp, meaning Gravenburch’s starting place is far from assured.
The German coach admitted the Dutchman’s inconsistency was not surprising as he barely played last season and appeared to have no problems. Klopp recently said: “Ryan still has talent. He’s 21. We always forget that. He didn’t play much last year.” The midfielder is trying to regain his confidence after struggling with a lack of game time last season.
“He played a great game for us, he was man of the match and you were thinking, ‘Where has he been today?’ What you think is a normal situation in the development of any other game, let alone guys, except Wataru. “People the same age like each other and get along well, and that helps,” he said.Szoboszlay’s injury looks to have given Liverpool a chance to lift their first trophy of the season as they prepare to face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Gravenbirch will be hoping to fill that void in midfield, but the player himself remains spot on and confident.He admitted earlier this season that timing was key to his confidence. “I am. Of course you have to play well, but if you take the time to do what you’re good at, it will definitely come back.”Jurgen Klopp commented that Ryan Gravenburgh’s mixed performance was up to par.
Gravenbirch turned down the chance to follow Ten Haag to Manchester United when he signed for Bayern Munich 18 months ago. They still play in the North West of England, but the level of development of the team is much higher. Klopp has always been known for inspiring players to reach levels they would otherwise not have reached.
The list of players who left Liverpool for pastures new and never reached their former heights is long. Gravenbirch will take on managerial duties more frequently in the coming months and this could be a highlight of his time at Liverpool.
