Liverpool’s pursuit of Ryan Gravenberch dated back further than the most recent summer transfer window. The young midfielder was a long-term target, and the Reds may have been pleasantly surprised to see him back on the market at all after Bayern Munich won the hotly-anticipated race to sign him from Ajax in 2022.
It may be the case that Liverpool chased Gravenberch for an extended period because it saw him as a long-term replacement for Gini Wijnaldum, a pivotal figure in the side’s Champions League and Premier League triumphs who left in 2021. According to The Athletic, ‘senior recruitment figures’ saw similarities between Gravenberch and his fellow countryman, who was also known for his press resistance and liked to operate in a left-sided number eight role. Wijnaldum arrived at Anfield as a potentially explosive attacking midfielder but was repurposed as an under-the-radar eight who rarely troubled the opposition goalkeeper. Likewise, Gravenberch didn’t so much as attempt a single shot in his first four appearances for the club — starts against LASK and Leicester in the cup competitions and substitute outings against West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
