One Liverpool player has emphatically reaffirmed his commitment to the club, in the process shutting down recent rumours linking him with an exit from Anfield.
Ryan Gravenberch will go down in LFC history as Jurgen Klopp’s final signing, joining on deadline day of last summer’s transfer window, although Turkish outlet Fotomac claimed in April that Galatasaray were potentially lining up a move for him.
The 22-year-old has now made it clear that, after two consecutive summers in which he’s changed clubs, he’s no intention of going anywhere else for the foreseeable future.
The midfielder told Algemeen Dagblad: “A top club, I hope to play here for years to come, and soon a Dutch trainer with Arne Slot. I’ve never spoken to him, not even during my time as an Ajax player, but he is a trainer who likes attacking football. That should suit me, you would think. We will see.”
Having barely had a look-in at Bayern Munich before his move to Anfield, at least Gravenberch was more heavily involved in his first season with Liverpool, despite starting just a dozen Premier League games (Transfermarkt).
We must wait to see what influence Slot’s arrival on Merseyside will have on the midfielder, who could certainly benefit from some stability after two years of club-hopping across Europe.
Competition for a regular starting berth is intense, and the 22-year-old will be well aware that he needs to make the most of any opportunities which are handed to him by the new man in charge.
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However, we’ve seen enough of Gravenberch at Liverpool to feel confident that he can grow into a crucial player for the Reds, as evidenced by his underlying metrics from his first season at Anfield.
As per FBref, the Dutchman ranked among the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s five main leagues for non-penalty xG, top 3% for successful take-ons, top 5% for progressive carries, top 6% for blocks and top 10% for shots per 90 minutes over the 2023/24 campaign, demonstrating a well-rounded skill set.
The 22-year-old is here to stay, and let’s hope that Slot can consistently get the absolute maximum out of him going forward.