Liverpool’s hopes of landing one transfer target this summer may have been dashed after he reportedly indicated a preference for another Premier League club
Ryan Gravenberch has been linked with the Reds in recent days and weeks, with reports earlier this month that his representatives met with a Merseyside delegation (De Telegraaf).
Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, however, has tweeted (via @Santi_J_FM) that, while Jurgen Klopp’s side have ‘expressed an interest’ in the Bayern Munich midfielder, he ‘would be happy to work together’ once more with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who is now in charge of Manchester United.
Whoever wins the race to sign the 20-year-old will almost certainly have to pay at least £20 million, with the Bundesliga champions eager to recoup the fee they paid to sign him from Amsterdam last year (Sky Sports).
Players reuniting with former coaches at different clubs is common in football, so United may have an advantage over rival suitors for Gravenberch given how Ten Hag provided him with a path into regular first-team football at Ajax (Transfermarkt).
In theory, this could make it more difficult for Liverpool to land the Bayern Munich prize, but they should not give up hope.
At one point near the end of last year, his international colleague Cody Gakpo appeared destined for Old Trafford (The Mirror), but it was the Anfield club who made the move and secured the forward’s signature in the winter (BBC Sport).
Furthermore, with Klopp’s squad set to undergo a radical midfield overhaul and Gravenberch desperately lacking game time in Bavaria, the Reds could realistically offer him regular starts, a prospect that will likely appeal to the 20-year-old.
The youngster has only started once for Bayern in the Bundesliga this season (Transfermarkt), so the chance to play more prominently elsewhere must be appealing to him.
❗️Liverpool, Arsenal et Manchester United ont tous manifesté un intérêt pour Ryan Gravenberch. Erik ten Hag et le milieu du Bayern seraient heureux à l'idée de travailler de nouveau ensemble .????⤵️???????? https://t.co/NPcOvJkkH5 pic.twitter.com/oqqGp8UJj6
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) April 24, 2023
Even if United appear to have a trump card in the form of the Ten Hag factor, Liverpool must not give up hope of repeating their Gakpo trick and beating United to another Dutch talent.
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