Bayern Munich ‘regret’ selling Ryan Gravenberch – but they deserve credit for ‘best No.6 in the league’

Ryan Gravenberch’s struggles at Bayern Munich sparked fears he is perhaps a misplaced expertise – but it surely made him the participant he’s in the present day.

The Dutch midfielder has lived as much as the ‘new Frank Rijkaard’ label that was as soon as a burden upon him after flourishing at Liverpool.

The 23-year-old has been the Premier League champions’ greatest participant this season, having been dubbed the most effective No.6 within the top-flight.

Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy has gone one step additional by claiming Gravenberch is the standout all-around midfielder.

It marks a outstanding turnaround for the latter, who noticed his fortunes fully reworked by Arne Slot’s arrival at Anfield in 2024.

Gravenberch’s Bayern Munich struggles

Gravenberch was hailed as ‘one of many greatest abilities in Europe’ by Bayern’s former sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic two years prior.

The Netherlands worldwide had simply accomplished a £21million transfer from Ajax. however made simply six begins for the Bavarians.

Regardless of this, European soccer broadcaster Andy Brassell claimed Gravenberch had turn into a greater participant than he had been at Ajax.

He completely advised talkSPORT.com: “The rationale that Gravenberch ended up at Bayern was, it wasn’t a lot of a deliberate signing.

“He had a yr left on his Ajax contract. They usually simply thought, ‘Oh, yeah, we may wish a younger midfield participant and there is a possibility.’

“It by no means felt like they’d a plan for him in any respect. Now, keep in mind that Bayern are fairly chaotic on the time.

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“They’re nonetheless figuring out at the moment whether or not they need their central midfield to be [Joshua] Kimmich and [Leon] Goretzka, who’re very, very tough to get previous. There is not any doubt about that. They usually had been having doubts over that and considering they wanted extra of a devoted six.

“Kimmich, due to his wing-backish leanings, despite the fact that he does not get pleasure from enjoying proper again, lends himself to a barely freer function than that. And he is bought attacking attributes that you simply need to benefit from.

“That type of leads them to this long-term pursuit of Joao Palhinha, who does not actually work out, however is the participant they need and the participant they find yourself finally getting.

“Now, with Gravenberch, as a result of they get him as a possibility reasonably than a deliberate signing, he is an afterthought.

“I do not assume they actually put that a lot into his improvement. However we talked earlier than about Hugo Ekitike and the way a lot he realized from an unfavourable state of affairs at PSG – it is type of the identical with Gravenberch at Bayern.

“He goes there and he rapidly realises that it is going to be laborious for me to get a recreation. There’s probably not a task right here. And he is nonetheless very younger.

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“He is nonetheless creating as a participant. At that time, it appears to be like like Gravenberch goes to be extra of an attacking midfielder.

“Provided that Bayern play with wingers loads as effectively, I feel there is a doubt whether or not he matches that system.

“You take a look at the very fact they have the 2 massive guys, as we stated, nonetheless ruling the roost, and it is fairly tough to suit him in,

“I feel, particularly when he was popping out of a place the place he wasn’t one in every of Ajax’s perfect gamers. He is an excellent participant, however actually a participant the place it felt like Bayern was a shock. It felt prefer it was a little bit of a leap for him. And so it proved in the long run.”

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How a lot did Liverpool pay for Gravenberch?

He was rescued by Liverpool on deadline day 2023 for £34m, however accomplished only one full 90 minutes below Jurgen Klopp.

Slot’s subsequent failure to signal now-Arsenal star Martin Zubimendi noticed him flip to Gravenberch to play the function, and the remaining is historical past.

Gravenberch’s success as a holding midfielder has reportedly brought about a wave of ‘remorse’ to comb over his previous membership, Bayern Munich.

However Brassell argued that the Bundesliga champions nonetheless bought a terrific deal and deserve credit score for his or her half in his improvement.

“The way in which he is been capable of adapt at Liverpool firstly says that Bayern have executed some kind of respectable job with him, even when it wasn’t sufficient to get them into their first crew,” he advised talkSPORT.

“It is developed him in a means. He is a significantly better participant than he was at Ajax by the point he arrived at Liverpool, merely by means of enjoying a couple of video games and coaching with Bayern the entire time.

“Clearly, there’s huge expertise on their teaching workers, regardless of the explicit period that they are in. There are senior gamers who you may study from.

“You consider Kimmich himself, Goretzka, Thomas Müller, so many different gamers you may study off.

“Actually, Bayern get a very whole lot out of it as a result of they promote Gravenberch for 2 and a half occasions what they purchased him for.

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“So actually, they bought an OK deal out of it to select up a participant, not fairly on a whim, however actually not as a part of a long-term undertaking. As extra of a, let’s purchase this man and see if we are able to mould him into one thing.

“It seems he finds it fairly tough to slot in the crew, and so they discover it fairly tough to suit him within the crew.

“Then to show him into two and a half occasions what you spent on him whenever you discovered he isn’t what you are in search of.

“That feels fairly good to me.”