In hindsight, the former Premier League superstar may have got a little ahead of himself when he suggested that Liverpool’s £34 million man could be ‘better’ than Jude Bellingham.
While Bellingham assisted Vinicius Junior’s winner in the Champions League final victory over Borussia Dortmund – the Birmingham-born midfielder’s career a script almost too saccharine even for Hollywood – a man who has often been likened to England’s prized asset started only 12 top-flight games in a hit-and-miss debut season under Jurgen Klopp.
Still, while Rafael van der Vaart was unwilling to repeat the Bellingham comparisons which have not exactly aged like the finest of wines, the one-time Tottenham Hotspur playmaker remains certain that Liverpool have a potentially ‘world-class’ talent at their disposal in Ryan Gravenberch.
Ryan Gravenberch can become ‘world-class’ at Liverpool
“If Bayern and Liverpool want you, then you just go,” Van der Vaart tells NOS, Gravenberch swapping Munich for Merseyside last summer in a £34 million deal.
“He really has the potential to be world-class.”
Van der Vaart does, however, have reservations about Gravenberch’s career path to date. Dazzling at Ajax under Erik ten Hag back in 2021/22, the elegant midfielder barely kicked a ball in anger at Bayern Munich and has struggled to nail down a starting berth at Anfield.
“If you go from Ajax to Bayern and Liverpool, and you don’t play much, then it is better to choose a club where you know you will just make a lot of minutes,” Van der Vaart adds. “And he has not done that.
“But, in the matches he has played, you can see that he is really a (quality) midfielder. I think he is so good. His potential is incredible.”
Gravenberch’s performance during the Netherlands 4-0 pre-Euro friendly win over Canada on Thursday night was, in some ways, typical of the man. A few flashes of brilliance – the odd trademark buccaneering, lung-busting drive from deep – but another game in which he flitted in and out of proceedings, overshadowed by PSV Eindhoven orchestrator Jerdy Schouten.
His inclusion in Ronald Koeman’s preliminary Euro 2024 squad, meanwhile, raised plenty of eyebrows. Gravenberch had not played a single game under Koeman until last night, and appeared to risk becoming the proverbial black sheep of Dutch football when he sparked fury by turning down a call-up for the Under-21 side last year.
Gravenberch called up for Netherlands squad
For Mike Verweij, a reporter for De Telegraaf, Gravenberch can count himself very lucky. His inclusion, Verweij argues, is not only a result of ‘big club bias’ but also due to some untimely injuries suffered by his midfield rivals.
“If (Feyenoord’s Quinten) Timber and (Atalanta’s Maarten) De Roon had been fit, Gravenberch would lose (his place),” Verweij says.
“The fact that Gravenberch is included is remarkable in itself. He has only played 90 minutes twice this season, although he has played in 26 of the 38 Premier League games.”
“He thanked the moment he made a transfer to Liverpool.”
Gravenberch will be hoping that the appointment of Arne Slot as Klopp’s replacement – his fellow Dutchman set to take over at Anfield – will bring about happier times and more regular minutes.
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