The father of Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has praised the impact Jürgen Klopp has had on his son. The Netherlands international arrived at Anfield last summer durning a midfield overhaul at the club.
Long-term servants Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all made way for the likes of Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endõ to sign for the club. All of the additions have been a success to some degree, although Gravenberch has arguably found it the toughest to adjust to life in the Premier League.
The 22-year-old, who left Bayern Munich to join the Reds, was limited to just 12 starts in the top flight of English football, through both injuries and failing to find his finest form in red. However, his father, Ryan Gravenberch senior, is adamant the player has already improved since signing for the club – and he owes it all to former Liverpool boss Klopp.
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“He was brought in by Bayern with an eye to the future and they saw his qualities,” he told ESPN. “Bayern still had a lot of confidence in him and that is why they sold their skin very expensively. Fortunately, everything turned out well on the last day.”
He then went on to talk about the impact Klopp had on him since arriving on Merseyside, where he added: “Jürgen Klopp had more feeling and personal interest than Nagelsmann and Tuchel combined.
“That immediately gave Ryan a very good feeling in the first conversations. Despite the extremely busy schedule and all the things Klopp has to take into account in his work, he continued to invest a lot of time and personal interest in Ryan.
“Klopp has been very good to Ryan. He was helpful and nice, but on the other hand he could also be tough, and he sometimes put Ryan on the bench in important matches. That’s right, he plays in the world top.
“I think he is at least 50% better now than he was then. He has become even stronger and fitter. The pace at which Liverpool plays is really not normal. Everything goes much faster and that has done him very well. Ryan always has to give something extra at Liverpool and that has made him a much better player.”
However, he added that he thinks new manager Slot will suit his son even more than his predecessor. He added: “I don’t think he has spoken to Slot yet, but Ryan is happy that he is coming.
“Although he loved playing under Klopp, Slot’s playing style suits Ryan a little better. Slot plays more like Manchester City and Arsenal. Under Klopp, Liverpool played more directly. Slot’s game suits Ryan better from Ajax’s training.”
Liverpool.com says: New Liverpool boss Arne Slot is also known for his fast-paced and high-pressing style of football, which could see Gravenberch feature more prominently in the starting line-up next season.