Ronald Koeman shares what he’s now told Ryan Gravenberch about getting back in the Netherlands national team

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Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has admitted that there is a way back into the national team for Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

Gravenberch has been frozen out by the Dutch set-up after shunning a call-up back in September.

At the time, the 21-year-old has just signed for Liverpool and wanted to focus on settling in to his new surroundings. It may have only been an U21 call-up, but the Netherlands decision-makers were furious and haven’t been afraid to show it.

With Gravenberch doing well for the Reds though, a return to the reckoning has felt inevitable. And speaking on Dutch TV via Voetbal International last night, Koeman has admitted that he has now spoken to the Liverpool man.

“We didn’t like that [refusing U21s call-up], but that’s in the past,” said the former Everton boss. “Nigel (de Jong) has been at Liverpool, but I called him [Gravenberch] before I announced the pre-selection to tell him that he was not on the list. But if he continues to develop like he does now, he will join the Dutch national team.

“But I have said that for the November period I want to do it with as much as possible with the group that has done it so far. He is a midfielder who if he starts playing more, he will definitely be in the picture. He was the same at Bayern Munich, but if you saw every weekend that he didn’t play or didn’t play much, then it doesn’t make sense to select him.”

Gravenberch set for Netherlands return

The initial decision to freeze Gravenberch out felt like an almighty faux-pas from Koeman and co.

Yes, it’s never a good look to turn down an international call-up. But given the circumstances, it was fair enough from Ryan.

Having had a poor time at Bayern and fallen out of the Dutch senior side, he wanted to make sure he set off on the right foot at his new employers to avoid it happening again. Smart.

Koeman didn’t see it that way, though. And although his team isn’t exactly brimming with top midfielders right now, he has turned his nose up at Gravenberch for the past two squads now.

Fortunately, that all sounds like it’s becoming water under the bridge. Although he’ll sit out of the upcoming fixtures, it sounds like Liverpool’s No.38 will be back in contention next time around.

Having been brilliant over the past few weeks, that’s no less than Gravenberch deserves.

Even in a tricky game against Luton Town on Sunday, the young midfielder was one of Liverpool’s more eye-catching performers.

Let’s hope this little bit of added incentive leads to him kicking on another level again at Anfield.