This summer is going to be full of transfer targets who will become increasingly likely or unlikely to sign for Liverpool and there’s been an update on our interest in one relatively long-term target.
Speaking exclusively with Empire of the Kop, Jacque Talbot provided an insight on interest in Ryan Gravenberch: ‘He was the real deal at Ajax and then he’s gone there and hasn’t had the games. He’s still relatively young but I think his talent warrants a bit more. He’s been linked with Liverpool for a long time, hasn’t he? I don’t think we’ve exclusively heard anything on that, it’s been out there already.
‘What we saw was a lot of reports arrived in Germany saying Liverpool were interested, and then there have been others of Bayern flexing saying ‘we want to keep him next season’, which could be true but could also be a good way of raising his value a little bit. With the new manager in, that could change things.
‘I think Liverpool are looking at the major, major targets first, like Mac Allister who’s about to come in. Then, as the summer goes on, if there’s an opportunity to do a deal for a player like Gravenberch, that could happen as well. I think they will get three midfielders in this summer’.
His former boss Julian Nagelsmann described the midfielder by saying: “Ryan is better than most other footballers in Europe his age” (via football-oranje.com) and it’s clear that he does have some admirers at the Allianz Arena.
However, the change in the managerial hot seat at his current club means that the 21-year-old is somewhat in no man’s land and will not know whether next season will see him achieve a small amount of game time again.
Being handed a starting role in the Bundesliga in just 9% of all matches this campaign, it’s clear that the Dutchman has a lot of work to do in order to be handed more consistent minutes.
We then may well be able to sway the player if we can make an offer that is attractive to the Germans and if there’s anyone who will know what may well make them sell, it’s Jorg Schmadtke.
It will then depend on how much we are willing to spend or if the other reported targets like Alexis Mac Allister, Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram could all prove to be cheaper and more attractive options for us in the long-run.