Liverpool missed out on signing 27-year-old before Manchester United swooped in

Unexpected delay shifted Liverpool’s focus to Ryan Gravenberch over Sofyan Amrabat

Daily Mail (h/t Metro) reports that Liverpool were close to signing Sofyan Amrabat with “unexpected delay” helping them shift their attention to a much-preferred player, Ryan Gravenberch.

Amrabat, currently on loan at Liverpool’s arch-rival Manchester United, recently returned from his injury lay-off.

Liverpool restructured the complete midfield after the departure of James Milner, Jordan Henderson, and Fabinho. The Reds signed Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endō during the transfer window before opting for another midfielder.

According to the Daily Mail (h/t Metro), Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp got in touch with Amrabat personally. The 27-year-old Moroccan gained a lot of reputation for his international performance in the 2022 men’s World Cup.

The Reds were apparently a “whisker away” from beating United in the race until an unexpected delay gave Liverpool time to seek other targets. Liverpool turned their attention towards Bayern Munich midfielder Gravenberch.

Liverpool signed Gravenberch from Bayern Munich for £34m on the deadline day. The 21-year-old is a talented midfielder with strong dribbling ability, passing, and ability to keep possession in tight spaces.

Off the ball, Gravenberch is an aggressive dueler with the ability to use his physique to draw opponents into a particular space. The Dutchman is versatile enough to operate as a No 6 in a single pivot or as part of a double pivot. He also possesses all the qualities to play as a No 8.

Gravenberch is a physical marvel standing at six feet three inches tall with the stamina to cover distance with ease. The ex-Ajax academy product became the youngest ever player to play in Eredivisie at 16 years and 130 days at the time of his debut. The Dutch international’s age means according to the Premier League squad rules, Liverpool does not need to register Gravenberch.

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The unexpected delay came as a blessing for Liverpool as they got the opportunity to look at Amrabat’s alternatives. Gravenberch has the age and quality to adapt to Klopp’s style of play with energy and skill almost at par with Amrabat already. We believe that Gravenberch has what it takes to become a favorite among the Kopites and dominate Liverpool’s midfield for years to come.