Opinion: Liverpool’s Bold Move Might Finally Pay Off as Under Arne Slot as £34m Transfer Still Playing Catch Up

Ryan Gravenberch has yet to make an impact in Liverpool’s lineup, but the coming weeks may offer him the chance to change that.

When Ryan Gravenberch arrived at the AXA Training Centre, he was already behind. The Dutch midfielder joined Liverpool on the transfer deadline day of last September, by which time the team had already played three Premier League matches.

Gravenberch missed Jurgen Klopp’s famous lactate test and Liverpool’s pre-season trip to Singapore. Instead, he had been with the Netherlands Under-21 squad at the European Championship before joining his Bayern Munich teammates in Tokyo.

His time with Bayern Munich had not been particularly successful, as he had joined the club from Ajax the previous summer.

Although Gravenberch’s debut season at Bayern saw them win the Bundesliga, he only started three league games and knew he was not in Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the future. Despite this, Bayern Munich was determined not to sell him.

However, their stance changed in the final 72 hours of the transfer window, leading to a £34 million deal with Liverpool. Liverpool’s interest in Gravenberch had existed since his days at Ajax.

Following the completion of the transfer, Klopp expressed his satisfaction, stating, “Really happy to bring him in because he’s an exceptional talent,” as Gravenberch signed a five-year contract.

“We signed a really good player and now let’s help him to get the best out of him. “Even though Gravenberch played 38 matches across all competitions last season, it’s clear that Liverpool fans have yet to see his top performance in their team colors.

Following a standout debut at Anfield against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League—where he scored and became the first Liverpool player to contribute a goal in each of his first three starts since Milan Baros in 2002—Gravenberch’s performances became inconsistent. He struggled to prove to Klopp that he was ready to secure a regular spot in the lineup.

“Ryan is still the talent, 21, we forget that always and he didn’t play much last year,” the former Liverpool boss told TNT Sports back in January.

“He had outstanding performances where he was man of the match for us internally and other matches where you think ‘where was he actually today?’ That is completely normal in development.”

Klopp’s advice to proceed with caution regarding Gravenberch was well-founded. Although Gravenberch shows clear potential, he is still developing and should not yet be considered fully matured as a player.

As Arne Slot begins his tenure as head coach, it’s vital for Gravenberch to prove his worth. The news that Gravenberch and France’s Ibrahima Konate will join Liverpool in Philadelphia next week is a positive development.

Both players were granted extra time off after being selected for Euro 2024. Even though they didn’t play in the tournament, they remained in Germany until the semi-finals and had a relatively short break.

While other international players, such as Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, will report back later, Gravenberch will have an early chance to showcase his skills when he arrives in the US soon.

In September of last year, Gravenberch opted to stay with Liverpool rather than join the Netherlands Under-21 squad for matches against Moldova and North Macedonia. His decision, though met with some disapproval in his home country, highlighted his dedication to settling in quickly at Liverpool.

With Alexis Mac Allister still away due to Argentina’s Copa America win and Bobby Clark sidelined with a back injury, Gravenberch has a prime opportunity to make a case for a place in the starting lineup as Slot begins his reign.

The primary goal of Liverpool’s tour of the US is to enhance fitness and adapt to Slot’s playing style. The upcoming fixtures against Arsenal and Manchester United will be key in assessing the team’s readiness for the new season.

If Gravenberch performs well in the coming weeks, he could start the season on a strong note.

In other Liverpool news, Liverpool Player Says He’s Ready to Stay at Anfield to Prove His Worth to Arne Slot Next Season