Jurgen Klopp has hailed Ryan Gravenberch as an ‘exceptional talent’ after Liverpool completed their £34.3 million (€40m) deal to sign the midfielder from Bayern Munich.
Gravenberch had struggled to secure playing time in his first season at Bayern following his €18.5m (£16m) move from Ajax last year.
The 21-year-old had been pushing for a move away this summer and had been approached by both Liverpool and Manchester United.
However, Liverpool moved quickly this week to reach an agreement with Bayern and Klopp is buoyed by his latest midfield arrival.
‘Really happy to bring him in because he’s an exceptional talent. Everybody knows that,’ Klopp told Liverpool TV.
‘He is 21, played over 100 games for Ajax already. Had a, I wouldn’t even say difficult season at Bayern because in that age group it’s completely normal; you go into a world-class team and he had his minutes and stuff like this.
‘But how Thomas Tuchel said today in the press conference in Munich I think, the position he is best at, they don’t really have in their system. We have that – that’s good
‘We have a lot of games to play. We will see how long he needs now because I don’t know, we need to have a look at that. He had a full pre-season, that’s good. The medical was as clear as it can be pretty much, looks really fit. That’s all positive.
‘Unfortunately we have now an international break and cannot work directly together, he is I think with the Under-21s for Holland. But when he is back we start it. Very excited about it. He is a smart boy. When I talked to him I realised that pretty quickly. And he loves to be here, it’s a good thing as well.’
When asked about his first impressions of Gravenberch after meeting him at the club’s training ground on Friday, Klopp said: ‘Good, really good.
‘He came into my office with his girlfriend, very nice as well. A good couple. Very open. There is everything there what you need.
‘Ryan knows he has to improve things but that’s with 21, it would be crazy if not. But he is super talented, he can drive the ball, he can be really a box-to-box threat, he is going there. He has a good eye for a pass and a good pass.
‘Really excited. It fits into our squad. I said before, we have a big challenge to reinvent pretty much one of the most successful midfields this club ever had, and I really like it. When I look now at the team, it’s a good football team, honestly.
‘You can buy experienced players but experience you have to make together as a team and we will do that. Everything is good. We signed a really good player and now let’s help him to get the best out of him.’
Asked about his long-standing interest in the midfielder from his time at Ajax, Klopp replied: ‘Of course. Yeah, of course. We played him, obviously, I think the Ajax game was behind closed doors if I am right, that’s why the memories are not that great for the game.
‘But, Ajax, okay in the moment they have to rebuild their team as well, but the team they had before with him, with [Frenkie] De Jong, with all these boys, that was a really, really good team and playing the way they play is great.
‘But of course, the Premier League is a different league and we will see how long it takes but it is obviously a long-term project but he can help us in the short term as well. That’s good.’
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