In only a few months, Ryan Gravenberch has transformed his Liverpool career.
From a squad player last season under Jurgen Klopp, he now looks a complete midfielder with Arne Slot in charge.
The 22-year-old Netherlands international again impressed on Wednesday with another all-action performance as the Reds battled to a 2-0 win over Bologna, thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah.
Gravenberch was superb once more, with his performance including a match-high 18 passes in the final third, a passing accuracy of 91.1%, three successful dribbles and four duels won, while he also gained possession nine times.
“I was delighted with him,” said boss Slot, who has now won eight of his first nine matches in charge – the first Liverpool manager to do so.
“Ryan was again outstanding. I don’t say that to players at half-time because there is still 45 minutes to go but I said after the game ‘again, big performance’.”
‘First class all season’
Although Gravenberch operated largely as one of two defensive midfielders, he was still a threat going forward. In the opening 90 seconds he found himself on the right wing, with neither Darwin Nunez nor Luis Diaz able to convert a dangerous cross, and later created further chances for Nunez and Salah.
Former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger told BBC Match of the Day: The number six role in midfield is not easy but when you watch Ryan Gravenberch he makes it look easy.
“He is enjoying the season so far under Arne Slot. Players are looking for him in possession, he keeps looking for the space and pushing on when he can. He doesn’t just go back into his position, he goes on the overlap at times.
“That shows the confidence he has on the pitch at the moment. I admire the drive he has, the dynamism he brings to the game.”
Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch added on TNT Sports: “They tried Curtis Jones and Gravenberch was kind of untested in that number six role, but what a revelation he’s been.
“He’s been first class, he’s made the shirt his own. What I like about him, we talk about breaking the lines all the time and most of the time you break the lines with a key pass, with a forward pass.
“He can do it like that but also by running he can beat two or three people in the midfield, he’s attacking the defence through to the centre-half and that creates space for wide men like Diaz and Salah, for him to be able to slip in.
“Also a number six has to do the dirty work like that, get yourself in and make tackles.”
From fringes to centre stage
A £35m signing from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, Gravenberch could have been forgiven for worrying about his Liverpool future.
He started only 12 Premier League matches in Klopp’s last season, with the Reds then close to signing Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, only for the player to reject a move.
Gravenberch has certainly taken his opportunity after impressing in a defensive midfield role on a pre-season tour of the United States against Manchester United, and then against Sevilla back at Anfield.
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live last month, said: “I was in Philadelphia with the team. I spoke to Gravenberch there on the training ground and I told him this was going to be his year.
“Arne Slot brings the full potential out of the players – and especially the younger players. This is the Gravenberch from Ajax – this is how he plays. He went to Bayern Munich and they didn’t use him, or didn’t feel he was that good – but we know how good he is.
“Arne uses the number six in the build-up and it suits him [Gravenberch] perfectly.”
Surprising his manager with his versatility
Gravenberch was man of the match in the 3-1 away win over AC Milan, earning a spot in Uefa’s team of the round, and was again the star performer in the 2-1 win at Wolves.
After that game on Saturday, Gravenberch said: “This season I wanted to show myself again and I am really happy.
“He [Slot] put me in the starting 11 and that gave me a lot of confidence.”
After that win, Slot admitted to being impressed by the defensive strengths of his fellow Dutchman and added: “To be completely honest, that surprised me because I know him from the Dutch league, but Bayern Munich and Jurgen [Klopp] did a real good job to make him also better without the ball, and that’s what we are taking the benefits of right now.
“He’s just very comfortable on the ball, and that helps the team if you want to have a possession-based style of play.”
Slot has transformed Gravenberch’s Liverpool career
While the goals of Diaz and Salah have grabbed the headlines as the Reds have gone top of the Premier League, reached the last 16 of the Carabao Cup and made a perfect start to their Champions League campaign, Gravenberch has been a key part of the team and made a case for being the most improved player.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find another player who’s gone from making very little impact, to all of a sudden looking like he should absolutely hold down a regular place in the starting line-up,” said BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Mike Hughes.
“In his first season with Liverpool, there were decent contributions in some matches but not enough of them to convince Jurgen Klopp that he could nail down a place in his first 11.
“Arne Slot may only have been here for the footballing equivalent of five minutes, but already he’s had a transformative effect on his Anfield career.”
Gravenberch has operated as part of a double pivot – something that has given Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai more freedom to attack.
“The new Reds manager sees playing Ryan Gravenberch as a deeper lying midfielder in the number six role as crucial. At 6ft 2in (1.87m) he’s taller than a typical central midfielder, but he reads the game well enough to spot the potential for danger and covers the ground quickly.
“Those qualities enables him to intercept the ball in that key central area. His use of the ball has also improved markedly. His passing has become much more accurate and therefore he’s able to get Liverpool back on the front foot immediately.”
Jordan Chamberlain, editor of Empire of the Kop website, called Gravenberch “the best midfielder in the country this season” and added: “Liverpool didn’t buy a new number six this summer, much to the dismay of the fanbase.
“But if we had done and they had performed as well as Gravenberch, we would be losing the plot. The Dutchman has been sensational.”