TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino has said that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool could have the same problem with Ryan Gravenberch as Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are having with Donny van de Beek.
Tony Cascarino has said on talkSPORT that he hopes that he is wrong about Ryan Gravenberch, who joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich on the final day of the summer transfer window.
The former Chelsea player has said that players from Ajax often struggle in the Premier League, noting how Donny van de Beek has failed to make a huge impact at Manchester United.
The 26-year-old Netherlands international has been on the books of United since 2020 and has struggled at Old Trafford.
Van de Beek also had a loan spell at Everton in 2022.
Cascarino said: “I am always a bit suspicious of (players) coming through the Ajax academy if I am being honest.
“They produce fantastic technical players, but I always feel a little bit, maybe it’s slightly different because of the size of him, he is a big lad, physically.
“I have seen the likes of Klaassen go to Everton who felt a little bit lightweight, I think Donny van de Beek has proved to be a similar problem at Manchester United where technical, brilliant, they can all do the things that are expected at Ajax as a football club.
“Gravenberch, I don’t quite know. I hope I am wrong.”
Liverpool should have confidence in Ryan Gravenberch
In our view, Liverpool fans should not worry about Ryan Gravenberch.
Yes, Gravenberch failed to make a huge impact at Bayern Munich, but that the Bundesliga champions signed him in the first place from Ajax in the summer of 2022 shows how highly he is rated in the footballing community.
And he is only 21.
It could take Gravenberch a while to get used to the Premier League and to adjust manager Jurgen Klopp’s system at Liverpool, but we have no doubt that the youngster would be a success at Anfield.
The Netherlands international is a very good and capable midfielder who could be used in a number of ways.
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