New signing Ryan Gravenberch says Liverpool one of ‘biggest clubs in the world’
Ryan Gravenberch believes he has joined one of the biggest clubs in the world after sealing his £35million move to Liverpool. The 21-year-old Netherlands midfielder has signed a long-term contract at Anfield after spending one season at Bayern Munich. “I’m very happy. Very happy that the deal is done and I’m finally here,” Gravenberch told Liverpoolfc.com. “If you see it from the outside, it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. Also the fans, the stadium, I think everything from the outside is top. So that’s why (it was the right club).” Revealing that he spoke to fellow Dutch players Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo ahead of his switch to Merseyside, Gravenberch added: “Yeah before the move I spoke a lot with the guys and they said we have a good team and everything is top here. “Actually my decision was quick. I left his office (Jurgen Klopp) with a great feeling and I can’t wait to start working with him on the pitch. Klopp is enthusiastic about his reinvented midfield and believes the club have done good business this summer. The Liverpool manager was always planning to revamp that department of his team this summer but even he did not expect to change the whole unit, only for the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia to force him into a radical overhaul. Argentina’s World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai were early arrivals as part of the planned revamp. But the addition of Wataru Endo and Gravenberch, who was a long-term target but was considered unavailable, came much later than expected after Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia both turned down a move to Anfield in favour of Chelsea. “We pretty much had to reinvent the team. The midfield is all ready and will be completely new,” he said. “We had to do that in a season where we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, which has a massive impact. “I know people expect it to be different but it is how it is. I really think we did good business, the players we brought in are really good, will help the team. “We are less experienced but that is normal, but we are full of desire and I love this team.” Mac Allister, who was initially asked to play an unfamiliar holding role, and Szoboszlai have both settled in quickly, which was to be expected as they had a full pre-season to adapt to Klopp’s methods. The manager expects them to make bigger strikes, although he conceded Endo will take longer after only arriving from Stuttgart mid-August, but believes they have the capability to match the successes of the players they have replaced. “The natural skill-set is obvious but we had to replace the most successful midfield in the young (recent) history of this club,” added Klopp ahead of Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa. “Fabinho, Henderson, Milner, Gini Wijnaldum a few years ago. All had big parts in the team. Naby (Keita), (Alex) Oxlade-Chamberlain, they all played big parts in that midfield. “In our best periods I remember you asked me the question if we had enough of a goal threat from this midfield when we scored all the goals from the front line. “I think we have much more goal threat in midfield now but the work-rate these guys put in, the stability they gave us was second-to-none and that is what we have to create as well. “We will see how we do that because we can play different systems, we have to think about that during the season definitely. “But I think it is clear the players we brought in have real quality, are young and in a super way really excited about the opportunity of being here, so that’s a cool mix.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jonny Bairstow hoping to enjoy more fruitful partnerships with Harry Brook Deadline deals and Ricky Gervais plays hide-and-seek – Friday’s sporting social Geoffrey Soupe claims victory in seventh stage of Vuelta a Espana
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Liverpool reveal Ryan Gravenberch's shirt number
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China Weighing Ways to Ease Coal Reliance, Canada Minister Says
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Luton Town vs West Ham United LIVE: Premier League latest score, goals and updates from fixture
The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. Get all the latest Luton vs West Ham odds here This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.
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