Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has told Ryan Gravenberch to be patient for his chance at the club amid speculation surrounding his future.
The midfielder has been linked with a move to Arsenal in recent days ahead of the summer transfer window. football.london understands that the Gunners are keen to bolster their midfield in the summer, with Declan Rice the priority target.
However, German transfer guru Florian Plettenberg claimed that the Dutch international's future hinges on Tuchel's verdict of the youngster. He wrote on Twitter: "News Gravenberch: Arsenal is monitoring him and his situation at Bayern! But no negotiations yet. Lot of competition with (Martin) Odegaard, (Granit) Xhaka, (Thomas) Partey, Jorginho … but nevertheless: He could get more playing time there. Now all depends on Tuchel."
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Now, after leaving Gravenberch on the bench in Bayern's 3-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday, Tuchel has delivered his first verdict on the former Ajax man in his pre-Hoffenheim press conference.
"I see Ryan's qualities in training, he's doing well," he said [via Fabrizio Romano]. "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 has gone on record to suggest he would like to be a success in Germany after only joining the club in the summer. However, he did admit he may look elsewhere if opportunities continue to be limited. "I'd rather succeed at Bayern," he told Ajax Showtime.
"But if that doesn’t work out and I don’t get opportunities, then maybe I should look elsewhere. At the moment, however, I’m not so concerned with that and I hope that I can change my situation at Bayern.
"I'm still convinced in my choice (to join Bayern) and don’t regret it at all. I had certainly hoped and also expected I would play more at Bayern. So far it has not gone as expected. For me, that’s a pity, but I’m dealing with it well."
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