Manchester United wanted Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch because he’s similar to Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.
United were reportedly one of the teams battling Liverpool hardest for the signing of Gravenberch this summer. Though he ultimately ended up at Anfield.
And according to The Independent, the reason the Old Trafford side were so keen on the 21-year-old is because of manager Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag has badly wanted a new blockbuster midfielder since joining United in 2022. Top of his list has been his former Ajax player De Jong, now of Barcelona.
But having failed to get a £63.5m offer over the line for the Dutchman in 2022, Ten Hag is still looking.
And according to The Independent, this is what led the Dutch coach to Gravenberch. Another of his former charges at Ajax, Gravenberch is said to be the only player who Ten Hag saw as coming close to offering the ‘potential attributes’ of De Jong. He couldn’t get him in either…
Gravenberch ends up at Liverpool
In all honesty, we just can’t see how Ten Hag could equate De Jong’s skillset with Gravenberch’s.
The two players just look like almost polar opposites in terms of what they bring to a midfield.
De Jong is a very, very good midfielder. But he’s more of a tempo-setter. Someone who’ll get on the ball and dictate how his team are playing.
Although there are signs that Gravenberch could perhaps do this, the 21-year-old is much more of a box-to-box type.
Leggy and quick, the Liverpool man is a driver from midfield. He appears to be everywhere, all at once. This isn’t something you associate with De Jong.
Nevertheless, we’ll give Ten Hag the benefit of the doubt, he did manage them both after all.
Perhaps that’s why Liverpool have been regularly linked with a move for De Jong themselves.
With Gravenberch now set for a long career at Anfield, we expect to see those links end. As for Ten Hag and United, they’re still looking for their own midfield answer.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
