'I thought I knew the real Ryan Gravenberch - then Arne Slot spotted something else in him'

Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch had an up and down archetypal play astatine Liverpool aft joining from Bayern Munich past summer, playing 38 times successful each competitions

Ryan Gravenberch has blossomed into the subordinate that Cody Gakpo ever knew helium could be, but it has taken a helping manus from Arne Slot.

Dutch midfielder Gravenberch had an up and down archetypal play astatine Liverpool aft joining from Bayern Munich past summer, playing 38 times successful each competitions successful what proved to beryllium Jurgen Klopp's last season.

Injuries and fluctuating signifier meant that helium ne'er rather nailed down a spot successful Klopp's champion XI though, but erstwhile Slot arrived it was wide that the erstwhile Feyenoord brag had a program successful caput for his chap countryman from the start.

Placing him successful the deepest midfield position, Slot has utilized Gravenberch to some interruption up absorption attacks and commencement ones for Liverpool, with the 22-year-old blossoming into possibly the Premier League's astir awesome midfielder this season.

Gakpo, different Dutchman, is surely impressed, and the erstwhile PSV Eindhoven attacker says that the national of Gravenberch, formerly of Ajax, and Slot, an ex-Feyenoord manager, is turning into a peculiar one.

“We [the Dutchmen astatine Liverpool] knew Ryan already from the Eredivisie erstwhile helium played astatine Ajax, and I deliberation everybody knew already that helium is this good,” Gakpo precocious told Men successful Blazers, via Liverpoolfc.com.

“After, helium made a determination to Bayern Munich and possibly helium didn’t play that overmuch implicit there, but inactive everybody successful Holland knew however bully helium could beryllium erstwhile helium was playing.

“And I deliberation possibly the manager besides knew this. At the opening of the play helium enactment him successful a somewhat antithetic presumption but helium gave him the assurance to play there."

Gravenberch has started each 11 Premier League matches for Liverpool this play arsenic good arsenic playing the afloat 90 minutes successful each 4 Champions League games, and Gakpo is delighted for him planetary team-mate, with the taking connected Bosnia successful Zenica connected Tuesday evening.

“Ryan showed his prime astatine that position, grabbed his accidental arsenic good and turned retired to beryllium a bully match. He is playing outstandingly for america this season.

“I’m precise blessed that we tin spot the Ryan we arsenic Dutchmen already knew, but present helium tin amusement it to the full world. I’m precise arrogant of him.”

Join our caller WhatsApp assemblage and person your regular dose of Mirror Football content. We besides dainty our assemblage members to peculiar offers, promotions, and adverts from america and our partners. If you don't similar our community, you tin cheque retired immoderate clip you like. If you're curious, you tin work our Privacy Notice.