Andy Robertson welcomed Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool with a joke at Virgil van Dijk’s expense yesterday.
Reds fans were put through a nervy day in Friday, as they waited patiently for Gravenberch to be announced as a new Liverpool player. With Al Ittihad also bidding for Mohamed Salah, it was a tough day all things told.
But thankfully, it ended in the best possible way. And after officially unveiling their latest addition, Liverpool’s media team got to work, releasing a video on Twitter of Gravenberch meeting his Netherlands national team colleagues Van Dijk and Cody Gakpo.
What the media team might not have factored in was that Robertson was lurking, too. And, spotting the new signing in the foyer, Robbo saw fit to introduce himself.
“Finally, a good Dutch player!” the 29-year-old joked as he hugged Gravenberch. “You OK brother? You good? Nice to meet you.” Never change please, Robbo.
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When Robbo met Ryan
With Jordan Henderson and James Milner gone, Liverpool obviously have a new captain and vice-captain this season.
And while Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are no doubt brilliant choices, Robertson’s value in this respect is sometimes overlooked.
The former Hull City man is captain of his national team after all. The Scot is now a veteran of six years at Liverpool and is always one of the most vocal members of the squad.
Granted, a lot of the time that noise is just Robertson larking around and joking with his teammates. But this is a really important part of being a team.
As Gravenberch will quickly learn, the Liverpool left-back is just a pure bundle of energy.
His Glaswegian accent may make Robertson tough to understand for new signings as they first arrive, but they’ll soon come to love him. Everyone does.
As for Gravenberch, it will no doubt help him to settle in having two compatriots alongside him at Anfield. Van Dijk was pivotal in helping Gakpo get to grips with things. Now, they can both help their younger colleague to do the same. That’s three very good Dutch players now, Robbo. Three of the very best.