Liverpool complete Ryan Gravenberch signing as Reds finish midfield overhaul
Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch for an initial £34.2million fee.
After the player held talks with Jurgen Klopp this week, a deal between the two clubs was agreed on Thursday, potentially worth a total £38.5million.
The 21-year-old was scheduled to fly to England on Thursday night, however, his flight was cancelled, meaning the Reds were forced to wait until Friday for the Dutch international to arrive and complete a medical.
On the final day of the summer transfer window, there were no further glitches - despite Joao Palhinha's move to Bayern Munich falling through - as Gravenberch flew into Merseyside to complete the formalities. The young Dutch star has signed on a five-year-deal, becoming Klopp's fourth signing of the summer.
“I’m very happy. Very happy that the deal is done and I’m finally here,” Gravenberch said. “If you see it from the outside, it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.
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"Also the fans, the stadium, I think everything from the outside is top. So that’s why [it was the right club].”
The former Ajax man joins new Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo at Anfield, with the move coming just 14 months after he moved to the Allianz Arena. He departs Bavaria having struggled for regular game time, first under Julian Nagelsmann and then Thomas Tuchel.
Ryan Gravenberch new signing of Liverpool at the club's training ground (Getty Images)Gravenberch's arrival completes a remarkable summer overhaul of the Liverpool midfield, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving on free transfers, while club captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho both departed too, making lucrative moves to Saudi Arabia.
Milner, who joined Brighton, is the oldest of the five at 37, with Henderson 33, Oxlade-Chamberlain, who joined Besiktas, 30, Fabinho 30 in October and the injury-prone Keita 28.
In their place have come the 24-year-old Mac Allister, the impressive 22-year-old Szoboszlai and now Gravenberch, who is a year younger at 21. Surprise signing Endo, who arrived from Bundesliga club Stuttgart, is 30, but Klopp sees the Japanese international as a player who has much to offer, despite his age.
Klopp sees the player as having potential in the pivotal number six role at Anfield as a holding midfielder, with his height at 6ft 3in an attraction in shielding the Reds defence. But the German coach believes the player’s biggest asset is his versatility, with the Holland international able to play in every position across the midfield.
Gravenberch himself revealed that he decided he needed a move away from Bayern after starting just three Bundesliga games in the past year. And it is believed it was the impression given to him by Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool and Holland captain, which persuaded him that this was the right move, after a season of disappointment in Germany.
“I’m really looking forward to playing at Anfield and I can’t wait to hear the You’ll Never Walk Alone song,” the Reds’ new No.38 added. “I know all about it.
“Now we start fresh again, a new start, and I’m going to give my all for this club. My ambitions are to win trophies and I know this is the right place to do it.”
The Reds have started the season with two wins and a draw from their opening three Premier League games, and host Aston Villa on Sunday.
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