It’s Not Trent: Liverpool Have a “Rolls-Royce” Who’s Now a £100m Player in the Making
Liverpool Football Club are approaching an intriguing phase off the field. The newly appointed manager, Arne Slot, has had an excellent start to his tenure, with his team currently leading the Premier League standings.
They sit at the top with 18 points, just one ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal, who occupy second and third places, respectively.
However, away from the field, some of Liverpool’s key players face crucial decisions regarding their future at the club. The contracts of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all set to expire at the conclusion of the current season.
Losing Salah and Van Dijk may not be as significant given their ages, with Salah being 32 and Van Dijk 33. However, the potential departure of local star Trent Alexander-Arnold would be a major setback for the club.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Contract Situation
The 26-year-old England international is a graduate of Liverpool’s renowned academy, which has also produced legends such as Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, and Steve McManaman. He is the most recent talent to emerge from this famous development system.
Wearing the number 66 for the Reds, he has an impressive track record with his childhood team. He has made 319 appearances, netting 19 goals and providing an outstanding 83 assists. Notably, he has achieved ten or more assists in three different Premier League seasons.
The Englishman, who boasts 32 caps and four goals for his national team, has been a key figure for Liverpool in recent years.
He played a pivotal role in Jurgen Klopp’s dominant side of the late 2010s, contributing significantly to their historic Premier League title win and sixth European Cup triumph.
Reports from Spain have recently emerged, suggesting the right-back could be considering a move from Anfield to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. Los Blancos can begin negotiating with him in January and may aim to finalize the deal ahead of Liverpool or any other competitors.
This situation puts Liverpool in a precarious position, as they would undoubtedly prefer to retain one of their star players. His potential departure, especially on a free transfer, would not only weaken the team but also result in the club missing out on any financial compensation.
According to Transfermarkt, Alexander-Arnold is currently valued at £58.4 million, but this figure could have been higher if his contract wasn’t nearing its expiration. With his current form, Liverpool might have had a player worth closer to £100 million, underscoring his importance to the squad this season.
Liverpool’s Next £100m Star
The player being discussed is Netherlands midfielder Ryan Gravenberch. The 22-year-old has shown remarkable form under manager Arne Slot this season, adapting to a relatively new role as a deep-lying midfielder.
Gravenberch, an Ajax academy graduate, has made nine appearances for the Reds this season, playing the full 90 minutes in each match.
His defensive contributions have been standout, utilising his long legs to recover possession with ease and following up with accurate, line-breaking passes to advance the play.
These qualities are evident in his statistics from the 2024/25 Premier League season, as recorded by Sofascore. On average, Gravenberch completes 32.3 passes in the opposition’s half per 90 minutes and wins an impressive 4.9 ground duels per game.
| Gravenberch vs Rice – PL stats 24/25 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat (per 90) | Gravenberch | Rice |
| Touches | 84 | 52 |
| Pass accuracy | 89% | 91% |
| Passes completed | 60.9 | 33.3 |
| Passes into opposition half | 32.3 | 22.2 |
| Ball recoveries | 6 | 5 |
| Tackles + interceptions | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| Ground duels won | 4.9 | 1.5 |
| Stats from Sofascore | ||
He could be on his way to becoming Liverpool’s own version of Declan Rice. The England international has established himself as one of the top hybrid players, excelling in both the number six and number eight roles in world football.
Last summer, Rice was transferred from West Ham to Arsenal for £105m, and fellow England midfielder Conor Gallagher even described him as being among the “top five” in the game.
Rice, now wearing Arsenal’s number 41 shirt, plays a role similar to that of Dutch international Ryan Gravenberch. Both players have a comparable profile, with Gravenberch noted by FBref as one of the midfielders excelling in this season’s Champions League.
Like Rice, Gravenberch uses his long limbs to win the ball before transitioning into progressive play or carrying the ball forward with explosive pace.
Gravenberch is currently valued at £33.4m, according to Transfermarkt, but his stock is rising thanks to his standout performances this season. If he continues at this rate, he could potentially reach the £105m valuation of Declan Rice, a player he is often compared to.
At just 22 years old, the Dutch midfielder is already being described as a “Rolls Royce” by journalist Declan Carr. If Gravenberch maintains this level of performance for Liverpool, there is no reason why he couldn’t become their next player valued at £100m or more.
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