Manchester United are reportedly scouting AFC Ajax prodigy Ryan Gravenberch as they prioritise strengthening the midfield department in the summer.
According to The Athletic, Manchester United have set their sights on AFC Ajax’s midfield sensation Ryan Gravenberch as a transfer target for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Gravenberch joined the Ajax youth academy in 2010 and has made rapid strides through the ranks at the Dutch club. The 19-year-old made his first-team debut in 2018, aged 16, and has steadily grown into a mainstay in the middle of the park.
Gravenberch has made 97 appearances for Ajax, scoring 11 goals and chalking up 13 assists. The midfielder is slowly establishing a foothold in the Dutch national team as well, having earned ten caps already. However, the 19-year-old’s stint at Ajax could end in the summer as he will have entered the final year of his contract.
Gravenberch’s situation has piqued the interest of several clubs across Europe, with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus among his suitors. Now, Manchester United have joined the bandwagon of teams interested in signing the Netherlands international in the summer transfer window.
Manchester United find themselves needing a revamp in the middle of the park. Paul Pogba is likely to leave at the end of the season when his contract expires. There have been talks of a potential return to Juventus for the Frenchman. Nemanja Matic has become a bit-part player and could be moved on, while Donny van de Beek could also secure a permanent exit.
This situation would leave Manchester United light in numbers in the midfield department. And, in order to bolster their options in the centre of the park, the 20-time English champions have turned their attention towards Ryan Gravenberch.
Manchester United are believed to have scouted Gravenberch on multiple occasions already, with the 19-year-old impressing under Erik ten Hag, who interestingly is a managerial target for the Red Devils. However, the report claims that while the teenage midfielder is likely to leave Ajax, he would prefer a transfer to Bayern Munich, where his agent Mino Raiola has strong connections.
Furthermore, Manchester United are staring at the prospect of missing out on Champions League football for next season, which could further jeopardise their plans to sign Gravenberch. So, it will be interesting to see if the Mancunian giants can convince the youngster to make the switch to Old Trafford come summer.
