Ryan Gravenberch, Liverpool’s Fourth Summer Signing, Arrives from Bayern Munich and Swiftly Bonds with New Teammates
Upon Ryan Gravenberch’s arrival at Liverpool on Deadline Day from Bayern Munich for £34 million, Andy Robertson couldn’t resist a playful jab at Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo. Gravenberch, a Netherlands midfielder, penned a five-year deal with the Reds, becoming Jurgen Klopp’s fourth and final summer addition, joining the ranks of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Waturu Endo.
As Gravenberch toured the club’s training facilities and bumped into his international colleagues Van Dijk and Gakpo, Robertson, during their first encounter, quipped, “Finally, a good Dutch player.” Laughter ensued in the background as the Scottish left-back continued, “You OK, brother? Are you good? Nice to meet you.”
Gravenberch, Liverpool’s third Netherlands international alongside Van Dijk and Gakpo, is also the fifth Dutch player signed by Klopp during his time on Merseyside, with Sepp van den Berg and Georginio Wijnaldum among them. Dirk Kuyt, with 71 goals, holds the record as the highest-scoring Dutchman in Liverpool history.
Gravenberch will don the no. 38 jersey for Liverpool, further strengthening the team’s midfield options. In response to the transfer confirmation, he expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I’m very happy. Very happy that the deal is done, and I’m finally here. If you see it from the outside, it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
He added, “Now we start fresh again, a new start, and I’m going to give my all for this club. [My ambitions are] to win prizes, play a lot and show them who we are and who I am.”
Klopp also expressed his satisfaction with the signing, saying, “Really happy to bring him in because he’s an exceptional talent. Everybody knows that. He is 21, played over 100 games for Ajax already. Had a, I wouldn’t even say difficult season at Bayern because in that age group it’s completely normal.”
Klopp went on to mention that the position Gravenberch excels in is a good fit for Liverpool’s system, providing depth for the upcoming season.