Both Liverpool and Manchester United have shown interest in acquiring a midfielder valued at $33 million, a player long admired by Jürgen Klopp and previously coached by Erik ten Hag.

With just 10 days remaining in the transfer window, it appears that there could be a flurry of activity in the final stages of the summer for Jürgen Klopp, Jörg Schmadtke, and others involved in Liverpool’s signing decisions.

Recent reports from The Athletic suggest that Liverpool does not anticipate signing another defensive midfielder after securing Wataru Endo from Stuttgart for $21 million (£16 million/€19 million). Instead, the focus might shift towards acquiring a versatile midfield option capable of playing various roles in the center of the pitch.

The situation of Ryan Gravenberch at Bayern Munich is under close observation. Liverpool has had a longstanding interest in the 21-year-old, who made the move from Ajax to the Bundesliga side just last summer. According to BILD, Bayern Munich may be willing to sell him for around $33 million (£26 million/€30 million), potentially yielding a modest profit.

Gravenberch himself expressed a desire to fight for his place under Thomas Tuchel earlier in the summer, but limited playing time has materialized thus far. If this situation persists, Gravenberch may be open to leaving in search of a more prominent role.

Both Liverpool and Manchester United, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, have expressed strong interest in Gravenberch. He has long been admired at Anfield, while Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, has previous experience working with the young talent in the Netherlands.

In many respects, if Liverpool were to pursue Gravenberch, it would resemble a move made in January. At that time, they acquired Dutch star Cody Gakpo from PSV for an initial sum of approximately $47 million (£37 million/€43 million), a deal that increasingly appears to be a steal.

Initially known for his left-wing play, Gakpo is now expected to replace Roberto Firmino as a false nine but has also been deployed as a number eight in midfield due to a shortage of alternatives in that area.

Coincidentally, Manchester United was also interested in Gakpo but missed out on him to Liverpool. These parallels might continue if Liverpool decides to pursue a move for the Bayern player.

In January, Liverpool’s squad lacked a traditional midfield player, so they didn’t need someone like Gakpo as much. However, the recruitment team knew that they wanted Gakpo, and the ideal midfielder was not available.

If Liverpool had not acted swiftly to secure Gakpo at the time and had instead waited until summer, another club would have likely stepped in. Manchester United could have been that club if Gakpo had remained available.

This illustrates Liverpool’s ability to be responsive and flexible in the market when a promising opportunity arises. Gakpo, like Gravenberch, was a player they desired, even if he wasn’t an immediate necessity. Waiting could have resulted in missing out on a long-tracked prospect.

The current scenario is quite similar. If Liverpool wishes to acquire Gravenberch and the player decides to leave Bayern Munich, other clubs will undoubtedly express interest. If Manchester United secures him, he could be off the table for several years, if not permanently.

For this reason, while Gravenberch may not be the exact type of midfielder many are clamoring for, and is different from players like Moisés Caicedo and Roméo Lavia, he remains a player to monitor closely. If he becomes available, Liverpool should be prepared to make a move, even if other priorities may seem more pressing.