Liverpool remain interested in signing Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich in the next two weeks.
Gravenberch has been linked with a move to the Reds all summer long. And with his position at Bayern reportedly very precarious indeed, the 21-year-old could still leave the Allianz Arena.
Speaking on that for 90min’s Talking Transfers Podcast, journalist Graeme Bailey says that Gravenberch is a ‘likely candidate’ to be Liverpool’s final midfield addition of the window.
“I think they [Liverpool] will be bringing another one in, that is the plan,” Bailey explained. “Will it be another number six? Possibly not. We’re still hearing Ryan Gravenberch a lot. He’s pushing for a move.
“It seems that Thomas Tuchel will let him out and he looks like a likely candidate [for Liverpool] at this moment in time. They do like [Cheick] Doucoure at Palace as well, they’re looking all over Europe.
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“I don’t think Tuchel is won over by Gravenberch. He’d like to keep him but I think if he pushes hard enough he’ll get out and that’s the way his people are seeing it. If he comes to Liverpool, we know he’s not an out-and-out six but I don’t think he’s that dissimilar to a [Romeo] Lavia maybe.
“I think he could play that role for Liverpool if he needed to. I think he’s a possibility, I really do. Publicly, Bayern aren’t willing to say he’s available, but we think he is.”
Gravenberch still on Liverpool’s list
In many respects, it makes sense for Liverpool to be targeting Gravenberch. He’s clearly not happy at Bayern and although he had a difficult season last year, the Dutchman is still a player with big potential.
The Reds perhaps feel they can get Gravenberch below market value and turn him into a superstar.
Nevertheless, with a defensive midfielder very obviously the priority, he isn’t that player.
The links to the Netherlands international made much more sense before Liverpool had brought in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Now, they could still do with someone to negate the likely departure of Thiago Alcantara in a year’s time. But for the time being, that isn’t a pressing matter.
What is, is Jurgen Klopp’s need to find a top-level anchor for his midfield. Wataru Endo did a fine job in difficult circumstances on his debut today, but he doesn’t feel like a starter moving forward.
Gravenberch does, but not in a deep-lying role. It’s all a little bizarre. And despite what Bailey says, he doesn’t really seem to be much like Lavia at all.