The Liverpool midfielder rubbished exit claims and he is one player who could thrive under the new boss.
Liverpool splashed the cash last summer and saw a strong return on their £150m+ investments but one player will be hoping for a much more successful campaign from an individual level.
Where Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister regularly formed a midfield trio under Jurgen Klopp, Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was often left out of the starting line-up, despite his clear ability. Things haven’t been as natural for the former Bayern Munich and Ajax star but a new boss could prove a fresh start for the 21-year-old who has now had a season to acclimatise to English football.
And yet, there has been talk of a potential exit after failing to establish himself as a key starter but Gravenberch has since quashed such rumours, claiming he is excited for Slot-ball at Anfield. “I hope to play here at Liverpool for years to come, it’s a top club. I’ve never spoken to Arne Slot but he is a trainer who likes attacking football. That should suit me, you would think. We will see!”, he told @ADnl.
The discourse around Gravenberch is often unfair. Granted, the facts on his season are clear, he started just 12 times in the league and totalled less than 1,900 minutes in total but he did manage 38 appearances across all competitions. But his competition was extremely tough as both Curtis Jones and Mac Allister were the main barriers to the first-team with Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott taking over the right-hand side of the midfield three.
It was difficult for him to ever get a run of games to fully prove himself which, in your first season, isn’t an easy thing to do. While he has strong defensive capabilities, he is clearly someone who is much more effective driving with the ball; he ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive carries per90 and the 97th for successful take-ons when compared to midfielders.
Plus, there are moments where he demonstrates real moments of real football IQ. Against Fulham, during the 3-1 win at the end of the season, he received the ball between the midfield and defence on the edge of the box – after being brilliantly found by Elliott – before he fired in an unstoppable curling finish after a brilliant first touch. His shot-creating actions are in the 94th percentile which shows he is effective and direct in attack.
With Slot, who is likely to favour a similar set-up, Gravenberch will hope his compatriot gives him a chance to play in midfield in his attacking system. After all, he may have netted just four times in all competitions but given that figures such as expected goals and expected assists combined are in the elite bracket, he should be given more time to realise his full potential – if he plays more regularly, he should contribute more. However, at an elite club like Liverpool, there are several players all fighting for that one midfield spot and that’s where the challenge lies.
