Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in the centre of the pitch this summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on a potential transfer target.
What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Ryan Gravenberch?
According to 90min, Liverpool are one of the clubs monitoring Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch's situation in Germany.
As per the report, the Reds are joined by Manchester United and Arsenal in their interest, with the young player keen to move on to somewhere he can gain first-team football after failing to find a consistent spot in the Bundesliga giant's team under Julian Nagelsmann and now Thomas Tuchel.
Will Liverpool sign Ryan Gravenberch?
It's safe to say that Liverpool haven't had a more consistent and reliable central player since Georginio Wijnaldum occupied the most advanced role in the Anfield midfield three.
Therefore, finally replacing his huge presence in the centre of the pitch this summer could be the key to unlocking success once again.
The Roma midfielder was integral to Liverpool's biggest achievements under Jurgen Klopp, playing a key role in the German coach's formidable team that won the Champions League and the club's first-ever Premier League title.
Now the Liverpool boss could sign the second coming of Wijnaldum by securing the signature of Gravenberch this summer, as the young midfielder boasts many qualities that make him a similar profile of player to his fellow Netherlands native.
The £156k-per-week talent is a "dominant" player – in the eyes of former youth coach Brian Tevreden – and ranks highly among positionally similar players on the continent.
Indeed, the Dutchman sits in the top 13% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, successful take-ons, touches and progressive passes received, proving that he is incredibly similar to Wijnaldum who was renowned for his huge influence on the attacking threat from his central role at Anfield.
During his time in England, the 32-year-old notably found the net on 27 occasions, while providing 16 assists as a marker of his ability to surge forward.
Gravenberch might be at the opposite end of his career but has been exceptional on the whole since breaking through the illustrious Ajax academy to become one of the hottest European prospects.
He tallied up 103 appearances playing an integral role in Erik ten Hag's successful side – winning three Eredivisie titles and reaching the Champions League last 16 in 2022, before making the move to the Bundesliga last summer.
However, the 20-year-old's development has stagnated since arriving in Munich with 26 appearances in all competitions, averaging at just 26 minutes per performance so far, so finding a club that can nurture his talent and can offer a more consistent role would be massively advantageous to the player.
With that being said, there is a huge opportunity for Gravenberch to continue his development and reach his potential under the guidance of Klopp and there is no doubt he would be given much more game-time on Merseyside, something that could well see him emulate the role that Wijnaldum offered during his time at Anfield.