TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino fears that Liverpool’s new signing Ryan Gravenberch could go down the same path as Donny van de Beek.
Liverpool completed the signing of Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day. The Merseyside club were keen on adding another midfielder to the mix before the window closed and they have successfully completed the acquisition of the 21-year-old.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool struggled throughout the 2022-23 season. They were far from their best and one of the major reasons was their inconsistent and ageing midfield. The Merseyside club decided to make some major changes heading into the 2023-24 season.
They wanted to complete an overhaul in the centre of the park. And, it started with them not renewing the contracts of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner. Post the departure of the trio, the Reds made two exceptional signings at the initial phase of the transfer window. They acquired the services of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Things were going according to plan but that is when Saudi Arabian clubs came calling and signed Jordan Henderson and Fabhino. Their departure forced Liverpool to look for a new number nine. They tried to sign Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo. But, both chose Chelsea over the Reds.
Post that the Merseyside club started looking elsewhere. They first added Wataru Endo to their ranks and then went all out for Bayern’s Ryan Gravenberch. While the negotiations went on for days, they ended up signing him for a fee of €40 million with an additional €5 million in add-ons.
While they have managed to sign the Dutch youth international who is considered to be a huge prospect, TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino has his doubts about the signing.
Cascarino said while speaking on TalkSPORT’s YouTube channel: “I am always a bit suspicious of (players) coming through the Ajax academy if I am being honest.
“They produce fantastic technical players, but I always feel a little bit, maybe it’s slightly different because of the size of him, he is a big lad, physically.
“I have seen the likes of Klaassen go to Everton who felt a little bit lightweight, I think Donny van de Beek has proved to be a similar problem at Manchester United where technical, brilliant, they can all do the things that are expected at Ajax as a football club.
“Gravenberch, I don’t quite know. I hope I am wrong.”
The former Chelsea striker fears that he might end up like Donny van de Beek who came in at Manchester United with a lot of expectations but couldn’t live up to those. Cascarino said that players from the Ajax academy are technically on point but they don’t have the physicality needed for the Premier League.
While the 61-year-old hopes that he is wrong, he is not quite sure Gravenberch will have the kind of impact every Liverpool fan is hoping for.
