Ryan Gravenberch, the new Liverpool signing will not head on international duty this week and instead stay on Merseyside to ‘concentrate on his new club’.
The midfielder, who joined Liverpool on deadline day from Bayern Munich for £35 million, had been called up to the Netherlands’ Under 21 squad for upcoming matches against Moldova and North Macedonia.
Gravenberch, on the other hand, informed the Dutch FA that he intended to prioritize acclimating to his new club during the Premier League’s two-week break and therefore rendered himself unavailable for selection.
Michael Reiziger’s team will begin a new European Championship qualification cycle during the international break after finishing last in their group at the Under 21s Euros this summer.
Gravenberch was possibly a surprise inclusion in his squad considering his 11 senior caps, although he was not selected for the World Cup, and he also played the entire 90 minutes in all three of their U21s Euros games.
The 21-year-old spent a year at Bayern Munich after joining from Ajax for £21 million last summer.
However, he struggled for game time, making only six appearances in all competitions during 2022-23 and falling far down Thomas Tuchel’s midfield pecking order.
He will wear the No. 38 shirt for Liverpool and was photographed watching the 3-0 win against Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday.
‘I’m overjoyed. ‘I’m very glad that the deal has been completed and that I’m finally here,’ he told Liverpool’s official website.
‘From the outside, it appears to be one of the world’s largest clubs. Also, I think the spectators and the stadium are fantastic from the outside. That explains why [it was the right club].’
Ryan Gravenberch | Career Stats
Gravenberch, who has 11 caps for the Netherlands U21s, expressed his joy about his new task after his transfer was completed on deadline day.
Gravenberch was viewed by Klopp as the ideal last addition to a major midfield makeover this summer, following the departures of captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
The Dutchman was Klopp’s fourth signing of the summer, following Alexis MacAllister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo.
Gravenberch has also piqued the curiosity of Manchester United and his previous head coach Erik ten Hag.
He is regarded as a multi-functional midfielder with tactical versatility due to his ability to play in both the No. 8 and No. 6 positions.
The 21-year-old Ajax youth product made 103 appearances for the club in all competitions and scored 12 goals before joining Bayern in 2022.
Gravenberch did not practice with Bayern on Thursday, and manager Thomas Tuchel later revealed the midfielder will be joining Liverpool, with the player expected to be in England on Friday for a medical.
There were worries over whether the Bavarian club would part with the player after a deal for Fulham’s Joao Palhinha fell through, but Gravenberch was permitted to join the Premier League club.
‘He wasn’t pleased with his situation here because he sees a potential to push for a spot in a 4-3-3 in Liverpool,’ Tuchel stated on Friday.
‘He’s been wanting to travel for a long time. We discussed an offer that came in. The outcome is obvious.’
Gravenberch is expected to make his debut for Liverpool after the international break when the Reds visit Wolves on Saturday, September 16.
Ryan Gravenberch, Liverpool’s new £35 million signing, has decided not to join the Dutch U21s this week.
