Ryan Gravenberch has quickly established himself as one of the top holding midfielders in the game, building on his impressive form from last season and helping Liverpool stay unbeaten early on.
It’s been a strong run for Liverpool, who haven’t lost a match in any competition this season, and Gravenberch has been right at the heart of it.
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Gravenberch was outstanding again against Everton, picking up another Man of the Match award. He’s now an essential part of Arne Slot’s team, showing why his move to holding midfielder has worked so well.
Joleon Lescott rates Ryan Gravenberch’s influence higher than Moises Caicedo’s
Liverpool spent several transfer windows searching for a holding midfielder, with names like Moises Caicedo and Martin Zubimendi frequently mentioned among fans.
The pursuit of Caicedo was well-publicised. The club agreed on a fee with Brighton, only for Chelsea to step in at the last moment and finalise the signing themselves.
While Caicedo has since found his feet at Stamford Bridge, Gravenberch has quietly built a strong case as one of the best No. 6s in the Premier League.
Joleon Lescott shares that view, recently stating that Gravenberch is not only ahead of Caicedo but should also be included in discussions about the best players globally in that role.
“He’s playing in a title-winning team. He was arguably their best player last year. So he should be considered [one of the best], and if you said this on the weekend, if you’re one of the best in any position in the Premier League, you are going to be considered one of the best or one of them.”
“The more rounded number six, which I think you have to be now… Like tempo, he controls the game. He’s able to control how they attack and sustain attacks, where Caicedo doesn’t have that ability just yet,” he explained.
Ryan Gravenberch could be a Ballon d’Or contender next year
Ryan Gravenberch has put himself into the conversation for next year’s Ballon d’Or, thanks to an outstanding start to the season with Liverpool.
The Reds have been in top form so far, and one of the reasons for their success has been Gravenberch, who has helped them stay unbeaten across all competitions.
Last season, he started looking like a different player under Arne Slot after moving into the No. 6 role. It surprised some fans at first, but he hasn’t looked back since making the switch.
This year, he’s picked up right where he left off — not just holding down midfield but also adding more going forward, already contributing four goals across all competitions.
His recent Man of the Match performance against Everton was another reminder of how important he is to this team. It’s hard to imagine him being left out of the starting XI anytime soon.
Cesc Fabregas says Ryan Gravenberch is similar to Declan Rice
Lescott isn’t alone in his praise. Cesc Fabregas compared Gravenberch’s style and strengths to those of Arsenal’s Declan Rice last season when speaking on Tactics Board:
“That’s another name that we haven’t mentioned yet and for me I like him so much…Gravenberch,” said Fabregas when asked about who can challenge Rodri for best No. 6 in world football.
“He’s probably slightly different because I feel that Rice helps Arsenal more in terms of covering big spaces defensively and helping their attack with arriving late from deep areas.”
He continued: “But I feel that Gravenberch gives Liverpool control in midfield and allows Mac Allister or Dom (Szoboszlai) these types of players to go higher up.”
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