Exclusive: Liverpool expert hints LFC transfer target may still have to force a move
Liverpool seem to have moved on from Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch after signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai instead, according to CaughtOffside columnist Neil Jones.
The talented young Netherlands international was the subject of interest from Liverpool earlier in the summer, according to Jones, only for Bayern to insist that the player was not for sale.
Since then, Liverpool have moved to bring in two similar midfield players in Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, so it seems likely now that they will not be coming back in for Gravenberch any time soon.
However, if they were to revive their interest in the 21-year-old, Jones expects that he still faces an uncertain future at Bayern and might do well to push for a move away from the Allianz Arena in order to play more regularly.
With Bayern signing Konrad Laimer and also targeting Declan Rice this summer, it seems unlikely that Gravenberch is someone they’re going to be building around.
“My understanding is that while Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool might be one to keep half an eye on, it’s certainly cooled,” Jones said.
“There was talk before the end of the season that he was on Liverpool’s radar and that talks had taken place, but if you look at the players they’ve signed since then in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, I think you’d have to say it’s unlikely they get another midfield player of that type.
“I think the problem with Gravenberch was always that Bayern didn’t want to sell him. They made it clear that he certainly wouldn’t be going cheap, so if you then look at Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, both deals were made that bit easier because they both had release clauses, so Liverpool knew what they had to do and the deals were quite smooth. Liverpool prefer to avoid long-drawn-out sagas and that kind of thing, and it’s proven a successful strategy for them, with two new midfield signings now in place before the start of pre-season.
“Unless Bayern were to change their demands and perhaps negotiate Gravenberch for a reasonable price, I wouldn’t expect Liverpool to be back in the market for him. From his point of view, he’s obviously made it quite clear he’s not happy with the amount of playing time he’s had, and he’s open to seeing what might happen next. But he’s also said he’s at one of the top clubs in the world, so whether that’s something he’s said so as not to upset the fans or his bosses, or because he’s had some reassurances from Bayern about getting more playing time – who knows?
“What I will say is that Bayern have already brought in another midfielder in Konrad Laimer, and we know they tried to sign Declan Rice. So that doesn’t bode too well for Gravenberch, it doesn’t look like they’re looking to build their team around him. So let’s see if he looks to force a move in order to play regularly and if Bayern are ready to sell.
“As I said, the message to Liverpool earlier in the summer was ‘no’, but let’s see if that changes nearer the end of the window. In terms of Liverpool, though, I expect that they decided to turn their attention to Mac Allister and Szoboszlai instead and this saga is now over.”
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