Liverpool completed the £34 million signing of Ryan Gravenberch on deadline day.
The 21-year-old struggled for regular game time at Bayern Munich and he had to leave the club in order to play more often.
The Dutchman will be hoping to hold down a regular starting spot at his new club now and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has now hinted at the role he could play.
Earlier Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel explained that the Dutchman is a box-to-box midfielder who struggled to fit in at the German club because they don’t really play with a number eight in their 4-2-3-1 system.
He said (h/t BavarianFootballWorks): “He’s a box-to-box midfielder for me, an attacking player. The main problem for him is that we don’t really play with a No. 8 in our 4-2-3-1 system.”
Now, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also echoed similar thoughts, claiming that Gravenberch is a box-to-box midfielder who can drive with the ball and has a good eye for a pass.
Klopp said on Liverpoolfc.com: “He is super-talented, he can drive the ball, he can be really a box-to-box threat, he is going there. He has a good eye for a pass and a good pass.”
It seems that the 21-year-old could have a role with more freedom at Liverpool as compared to Bayern Munich. Klopp clearly realises his strengths and it will be interesting to see how Liverpool shape up with him in the side.
The Reds already have Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai at their disposal. Both players are likely to be advanced central midfielders and accommodating Gravenberch along with them could compromise the balance of the midfield.
Ideally, Liverpool needed someone like Fabinho to complement the likes of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
If the 21-year-old midfielder can develop the defensive side of his game, he might be able to play the Gini Wijnaldum role for Klopp in the coming seasons.