The agent of Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has clarified comments that he made regarding an “impossible” transfer move to Real Madrid after his stellar season under Arne Slot.
“He’s good enough for Real Madrid,” Jose Fortes told the Spanish outlet MARCA. “We would love for him to play for them, but Liverpool would ask for a lot of money. I know [Los Blancos] had their eye on him, but now it’s impossible.”
However, taking to Instagram, Fortes has now clarified what he meant. “I’m Spanish,” he wrote. “It’s my dream club, not the dream club of Ryan. He is really happy, and if you ask Ryan, he will agree with you [that Liverpool are the biggest club in the world]. No stress, keep calm.”
Gravenberch has played from the start in every single Premier League game Liverpool has played so far this season. He is on track to play more minutes in 2024/25 than he ever has before, becoming an elite operator in a new role.
“After the Euros, [Slot] called me and said he wanted to give me a chance — then he said, “I want you to focus on the No. 8 but I also want to see you in the No. 6,” Gravenberch said in November. “My reaction was really good… it doesn’t really matter where you play as long as you play.
“When I came here, in my mind… the coach [Jurgen Klopp] didn’t say to me, ‘OK, you will get a starting XI position’ — so it was already in my head that I would get my chances, that my time would come. I had chats with [Slot’s assistant John Heitinga] about good positioning, where the ball can come and also about attacking wise where I have to stand.
(Image: Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
“[So far this season] feels good but to be honest I have to adapt more because I’m not like a natural defending No.6. I was like a more attacking midfielder so for myself I have to adapt more. I think the first games have been really good but I have to keep improving.”
Liverpool.com says: Gravenberch has been a revelation this season for Arne Slot. He has probably played too much this term with little alternative for the Reds, and that is something that could be addressed in the summer transfer market. In terms of his performance levels, though, he is now a world-class No. 6.
It will be interesting to see if Gravenberch returns to playing as a No. 8 at some point in his career. With a limited number of players out there who can play the role he is currently in to that level, though, there is no need for that to happen any time soon.
