Liverpool have stepped up their interest in signing Ryan Gravenberch – and the Dutch midfielder has already been pictured wearing the club’s shirt.
The Reds are exploring possibilities ahead of what will be a hugely important summer transfer window. Jude Bellingham is no longer a transfer target, with Jurgen Klopp admitting on Friday that Liverpool simply don’t have the money to sign the Borussia Dortmund star.
That admission has made it clear that Liverpool are looking elsewhere for midfielders, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner all set to leave the club. Gravenberch has emerged as a viable option, with the 20-year-old struggling for game time at Bayern Munich this season.
The Times have reported that a club representative met with Gravenberch’s father in the Netherlands last Tuesday. Gravenberch joined Bayern in a £21million transfer from Ajax last summer, but is stuck behind Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in the pecking order.
Bayern are set to sign Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig in the summer, further increasing their options in the middle of the pitch. The German giants would therefore reportedly be open to selling Gravenberch for around £25m – a fee much more affordable than the £130m which Bellingham will command.
Fans have been encouraged over the Gravenberch pursuit after a picture of the youngster wearing a Liverpool shirt emerged online. The photo shows Gravenberch wearing the club’s shirt from the 2019/20 season, which features a badge for the Club World Cup and FA Cup.
It was reportedly given to him by Ki-Jana Hoever – a Dutch defender who was at Liverpool between 2018 and 2020 after coming through the Ajax academy with Gravenberch.
Gravenberch has made 18 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, but 17 of those have come off the substitutes’ bench. Asked about him last week, new Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel said: “I see Ryan’s qualities in training, he’s doing well. He’s a midfielder who can turn and dribble very well. Now it’s about being patient. It’s about fighting to be there.”
Gravenberch’s agent Rafaela Pimenta was spotted at Anfield earlier in the season, sparking speculation that she might be discussing a possible transfer. For Liverpool defender Jose Enrique also got tongues wagging last month when he claimed that a deal to take Gravenberch to the Reds was already done.
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He is not the only player who has been linked with Liverpool. Chelsea's Mason Mount is of interest, with the midfielder in a contract stand-off with the club at present.
They are also understood to be monitoring Mount's team-mate Conor Gallagher, Brighton duo Moises Caicedo and Alexis MacAllister, Wolves ' Matheus Nunes and Leicester's Youri Tielemans.
Speaking last week, Klopp pushed back against a line of questioning about Bellingham, emphasising that Liverpool have to work within their means. “I never understood why we constantly talk about things we theoretically cannot have,” he said.
“We cannot have six players in the summer for £100m [each], for example. That’s clear. You have to realise what you can do and then you have to work with that. How much money do we have available? Then we work with that. That’s the job you have to do.”
