Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation for Liverpool this season – and legendary midfielder Clarence Seedorf has spoken about his progression since joining Liverpool
Few Liverpool fans would argue against Ryan Gravenberch being the Reds’ player of the season so far. He has excelled in a largely unfamiliar role since the opening day of the season, and had perhaps his best game for the club in Tuesday’s Champions League win at the San Siro.
Gravenberch was named man of the match for the second time in three matches, having also claimed that accolade after the 3-0 win over Manchester United earlier in September, and Arne Slot gushed over the midfielder’s display in Italy.
“He was incredible today,” Slot said. “He took the stage where so many Dutch midfielders have already excelled. Incredible compatriots have played here, now it was Ryan’s turn.”
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Of course, the San Siro has been graced by many brilliant Dutch players down the years. Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten all spring to mind.
Clarence Seedorf is another Milan great – the former midfielder played over 400 times for the Rossoneri, winning two European Cups – and he was on punditry duty in the UK for Liverpool’s win in Milan.
Prior to kick-off, he assessed Gravenberch’s Liverpool career so far and summed it up concisely, as he explained that the adaptation period after his move to Liverpool from Bayern Munich was perhaps behind his slow start to life at Anfield.
Gravenberch was by no means bad during his maiden campaign in England, but he has taken his level up several notches this season and is now virtually undroppable.
“He needed that year of transition,” Seedorf said on Amazon Prime. “He came from a difficult season at Bayern Munich. I think that Liverpool was preparing him for what we are seeing now.
“He had a lot of moments in a match last year. And it’s not easy for anybody – even experienced players – to change a team, club, country, everything, and immediately fit in. So what we are seeing is hopefully the start of this great talent… he will be shining for many years.”
Gravenberch has been so good in the No.6 role he has been tasked with playing in that few fans are dwelling on the club’s failure to sign a new midfielder in the summer.
Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad was earmarked for that role before turning down a transfer to Anfield in favour of remaining in Spain, and it’s hard to imagine he would be doing a better job than Gravenberch is currently doing.
Up until this season, Gravenberch had spent much of his career on the periphery of all the giant teams he has already represented, but the signs are all positive that he could well be a key player for Liverpool for years to come.
