Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Liverpool

Arne Slot told Liverpool already has midfielder better than Jude Bellingham

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was previously rated higher than Jude Bellingham by a fellow Dutch midfielder – and he is sticking by his verdict despite this season.

 

Liverpool might not have seen the best of Ryan Gravenberch yet – but former Dutch midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart still believes he is more talented than Jude Bellingham.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

Gravenberch burst onto the scene at Ajax and played a huge role under now-Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag before moving to Bayern Munich. That move did not work out, and he eventually joined Liverpool last summer.

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

He experienced mixed fortunes during his first Premier League campaign, after Van der Vaart had confidently talked him up as better than England star Bellingham before the move.

 

“What I think is the big difference (between the two players); Bellingham is a step lower at a club and always plays,” Van der Vaart told Ziggo Sport last April. “I think Gravenberch is better than him, in every way. Especially physically.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

“Do you know what is most important when you go to a new club? The first two weeks. You have to show in every training session, every training game that you are a justified purchase.

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“It would actually be good for Gravenberch to go on loan to Ajax again. You just have to start playing football.”

 

A few weeks after those comments, Gravenberch joined Liverpool, who missed out on Bellingham to Real Madrid. The latter has starred in Spain, while the Dutchman has not quite hit the ground running at Anfield.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

However, speaking to Voetbal International last week, Van der Vaart insisted he sticks by his comparison. He said: “I didn’t expect him [Bellingham] to have such a good season at Real Madrid, but I stand by my comment at the time.

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“Bellingham is a great player, of course,” he added. “After all, one career is different from the other. For me, that doesn’t take anything away from Gravenberch’s enormous qualities.”

 

Despite his glowing assessment of Gravenberch, Van der Vaart has also advised both the player and incoming manager Arne Slot that a change in role might be more suitable. He believes switching to become a defensive midfielder would see him unlock a new level.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

In the same interview, Van der Vaart said: “I advise Ryan to opt for a role as a defensive midfielder. That will not be an easy choice for him, because he can do much more. You can compare it with Nigel de Jong in the past.

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“Nigel could do much more than the subservient controller he eventually became. But in that specific role he reached an absolute top level. Nigel decided he was going to be a pit bull and that’s it.

 

“Ryan is also very versatile and I recommend him to make a similar choice. In a role like Patrick Vieira once played at Arsenal and France.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

Gravenberch recently linked up with his national team ahead of the tournament. He was briefly asked about Slot’s arrival at and expressed his belief that it will be good news for his own career.

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“I think he can be good for my career,” he said. “It’s a coach who wants to play good football.”

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

NFL

‎ The New England Patriots are gearing up for a crucial offseason, with the combine and free agency on the horizon. In this article,...

NFL

It has been a couple of weeks since the Cleveland Browns ended their season with a 3-14 record. The best thing the Browns had...

NFL

In this new development, Maye is facing criticism for not attending Mike Vrabel’s introductory press conference as the new head coach of the New...

NFL

The New England Patriots finished the 2024 season with a 4-13 record, giving them one of the worst records in the NFL and putting...

Advertisement