Former Premier League star Boudewijn Zenden tipped Ryan Gravenberch to succeed at Liverpool and feels he can become a fan favourite at Anfield.
There are many things about Ryan Gravenberch that Bayern Munich did not care to explore. For the quality the £34 million ace possesses, they wouldn’t have sold him to Liverpool, especially not at that price. Jurgen Klopp saw the opportunity and urged the club to make their move.
Credit to Liverpool for their persistent approach before signing Gravenberch on deadline day. The midfielder has had a slow start to life at the club, but in recent weeks, Klopp has begun integrating the Dutchman more into his system.
In the game against Everton, Gravenberch slotted effortlessly in a midfield consisting of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominic Szoboszlai. He looked comfortable in defending the ball as well as finding space to attack it forward.
At the price, the £34 million ace looks like a bargain in many ways for Liverpool. Klopp wanted a big rebuild of his central position, and with Gravenberch, he certainly solved plenty of problems. The Dutchman doesn’t come across as a defensive midfielder but more in the mould of compatriot Gini Wijnaldum.
Now former Netherlands and Premier League star Boudewijn Zenden has heaped praise on the 21-year-old star. He tipped Gravenberch to succeed at Liverpool via Soccer News YouTube channel. He insisted the midfielder could soon become a fan favourite at Anfield and appeared impressed by his style of play so far.
Zenden said, “For Gravenberch, I think that he will gradually start to feel better and that he will certainly be important.
“The only question is what role that will be? Is he going to play a more conservative role, one with more freedom going forward, as the defensive midfielder is usually Mac Allister?
“So yeah, Gravenberch is of course a player who comes with the Ajax DNA who wants to shift and appear in spaces.”
Not everybody was convinced by Gravenberch at the beginning. For instance, Tony Cascarino said he had doubts about the midfielder and compared him to Donny van de Beek’s time at Manchester United. Those comparisons may have seemed unprecedented, considering the former Bayern man was only coming to the fore.
Yet, from how Klopp has developed several lesser-known players, Gravenberch is still a highly-rated talent. As Zenden insisted, he has the Ajax DNA that would always bring the quality needed by any side. Liverpool, they have a gem of a player on their hands for the long-term future.
