Jurgen Klopp is relishing the challenge of getting his new-look midfield thriving as the manager talked up the “exceptional talent” of new signing Ryan Gravenberch. Klopp is keen to get to work with Gravenberch but won’t be able to pick the 21-year-old until the visit to Wolves after the international break after his clearance came too late in the day to register him for Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa. And the Reds boss says he is eager to coach his fresh-look midfield department following the exits of so many players responsible for a lot of the success between 2019 and 2002.
Jurgen Klopp said: “I’m really happy to bring [Gravenberch] in because he’s an exceptional talent. Everybody knows that. He is 21, [and has] played over 100 games for Ajax already. He had a, I wouldn’t even say difficult season at Bayern because in that age group it’s completely normal; you go into a world-class team and he had his minutes and stuff like this. But how (Bayern boss) Thomas Tuchel said today in the press conference in Munich I think, the position he is best at, they don’t really have in their system. We have that – that’s good. We have a lot of games to play. We will see how long he needs now because I don’t know, we need to have a look at that. He had a full pre-season, that’s good. The medical was as clear as it can be pretty much, looks really fit. That’s all positive. Unfortunately we have now an international break and cannot work directly together, he is I think with the U21s for Holland. But when he is back we start it. Very excited about it. He is a smart boy. When I talked to him I realised that pretty quickly. And he loves to be here, it’s a good thing as well. He came into my office with his girlfriend, very nice as well. A good couple. Very open. There is everything there what you need. Ryan knows he has to improve things but that’s with 21, it would be crazy if not. But 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. Really excited. It fits into our squad. I said before, we have a big challenge to reinvent pretty much one of the most successful midfields this club ever had, and I really like it. When I look now at the team, it’s a good football team, honestly. You can buy experienced players but experience you have to make together as a team and we will do that. Everything is good. We signed a really good player and now let’s help him to get the best out of him. Of course. Yeah, of course. We played him, obviously – I think the Ajax game was behind closed doors if I am right, that’s why the memories are not that great for the game. But, Ajax, OK in the moment they have to rebuild their team as well, but the team they had before with him, with [Frenkie] De Jong, with all these boys, that was a really, really good team and playing the way they play is great. But of course, the Premier League is a different league and we will see how long it takes but it is obviously a long-term project but he can help us in the short term as well. That’s good.”
