From Bayern despair to Liverpool brilliance - the rise of Gravenberch

When Ryan Gravenberch was the newest stellar young talent to roll off Ajax's prodigious production line, he had the label of "the new Frank Rijkaard" draped around his shoulders.

The burden of comparison to the great Rijkaard, who won the Champions League, European Cup Winners' Cup and five Eredivisie titles with Ajax – as well as two European Cups with AC Milan – was a heavy one.

When Gravenberch left Ajax for one season of struggle at Bayern Munich, there were fears that the rich and obvious potential the young midfielder possessed might not be fulfilled.

Instead, rescued by Liverpool in a £34m deal in September 2023, then nurtured by countryman Arne Slot after he succeeded Jurgen Klopp a season later, Gravenberch now stands comfortably along Europe's best in his position.

Slot utilised Gravenberch as a holding midfielder when winning the Premier League in his first season, making this key decision after a proposed £52m deal for Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, now at Arsenal, collapsed.

Gravenberch, with more attacking freedom, has moved to another level this season, Liverpool's standout performer as they have won five league games out of five to top the table.

Gravenberch flourished as Liverpool's holding 'number six' last season and, while that is still his designated role, Slot is allowing greater freedom this term to maximum effect.

While his defensive numbers on tackles, clearances and winning possession are almost identical to last season, Gravenberch has been getting on the ball in central areas higher up the pitch in this campaign.

He did not score a league goal in 37 appearances last season, but already has two in four appearances this season, including the opener in the Merseyside derby win against Everton at Anfield.

In Liverpool's 1-0 win at Burnley Gravenberch had four shots and created four chances. In contrast, there were 11 league games last season in which he did not have a shot or create a chance. He has done so in all four games this time.

Former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport: "He has been Liverpool's best and most important player this season.

"He missed the first game at home to Bournemouth and also the Community Shield against Crystal Palace. They looked quite wide open in the Bournemouth game because of his absence.

"When he came back in you could see the difference. He has attributes very few midfielders have, which is brilliant spatial awareness plus the ability to glide past people.

"There are not many central midfield players who can carry the ball through the lines. Most midfielders are passers through the lines.

"He is a terrific passer, but his great body movement allows him to let the ball run across him, then he has that great athleticism, which allows him to glide past people effortlessly."

Klopp described Gravenberch as "an exceptional talent" when he signed, but he made only 12 league starts in an indifferent first season at Anfield under the German.

The arrival of Slot, plus the breakdown of that Zubimendi deal, proved the catalysts for Gravenberch's transformation.

While many Liverpool fans questioned the strategy of not moving into the markets after Zubimendi got away, Slot placed his faith in the player he knew from the Netherlands to solve his problem.

Murphy said: "Slot had obviously seen him play that role in Holland. Maybe he thought he was a stop-gap - an experiment - but the reality is it has worked perfectly for them both.

"I spoke to Slot earlier in the season about different players, especially in the midfield area. He talked about Gravenberch in glowing terms, about how important he was to the team. When a manager speaks like that you always sense just how highly they rate the player.

"I'm a big believer in, whatever your qualities, the confidence of the manager goes a long way in giving you the platform to thrive. In his first season he was used sporadically, so he couldn't get too much momentum.

"Most players will look back on their careers and have moments when they just fit well with a certain manager. It happened to me with Gerard Houllier at Liverpool. What Gravenberch has found in Slot is somebody who completely trusts him."

Slot's impact is echoed by journalist Marcel van der Kraan, chief sports editor at Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

He said: "Liverpool came to the rescue after Bayern. When he came to Anfield he was in a stronger mental shape than he had been when he struggled in Germany. Arne Slot has put the final piece in the Gravenberch jigsaw.

"I worked with Slot as a full-time reporter on Feyenoord. If there one ability which is Slot's best asset as a manager and coach, it is that he knows how to get the real strength out of a player.

"I've seen him turn so many players into new stars when we couldn't see it in the Netherlands. It's what he did with Gravenberch. He added more attacking style to his game; gave him more freedom; used his skills."

Gravenberch signed for Bayern in June 2022 in a deal worth £16m, but started only three games in his 24 Bundesliga outings in his one full season. It was a major disappointment, with then coach Thomas Tuchel seemingly unconvinced by his value.

In the Netherlands the feeling was that a move to a European superpower such as Bayern came too early.

Van der Kraan said: "When he first emerged, like a number of top talents from the Ajax academy, he was referred to as the new Frank Rijkaard because of the athlete he is, his stature. Frank Rijkaard was the top role model for a natural defensive midfielder and central defender.

"Ryan was strong, powerful, very dynamic. He was stronger than anyone he was facing in youth academy matches.

"In my opinion that label of the new Rijkaard didn't do him any favours because expectations are high. Maybe he felt he had to live up to something and he was so young."

"We like to see our biggest and best talents stay in the Netherlands longer, but soon the big vultures were circling for Gravenberch. This time it was not from the Premier League but Germany and Bayern Munich.

"It was way too early for him. You want to see players grow up, mature and then move. He should have stayed at Ajax a couple more seasons, then go to the Premier League.

"It was his decision. The family is a proper sports family. He has a brother, Danzell, who is a professional footballer. They thought it was the right move but it didn't work out.

"It was too early, and German football is different from the Premier League. There is a different dynamic.

"Maybe because of his athleticism, the Germans and Bayern thought he was made for them. I always thought he was made for English football and he is showing that now.

"When he was at Bayern, he went through a tough time mentally - a really difficult time - and even his father, when he spoke to us, wondered if he would come out of the hole he was in at the time.

"He did and now he is showing how good he can be at Liverpool."

Gravenberch's renaissance at Liverpool has placed his name among Europe's elite in his position, and Murphy has no doubts about his status.

"Last season he was the best in his position in that number six role," he said.

"Rodri missed virtually the whole season with Manchester City. He had been the best in Europe for four or five years.

"Gravenberch was the best in the Premier League last season, and he has started this season in the same vein.

"Arsenal fans will talk about Martin Zubimendi. Chelsea fans will talk about Moises Caicedo. Gravenberch has got more tools - more capability of doing things further up the pitch - than those two."

Gravenberch's struggles at Bayern had his admirers in the Netherlands fearing he might be a lost generational talent. Instead, he is now Liverpool's driving force and will be a key figure in national coach Ronald Koeman's World Cup plans.

Van der Kraan said: "Amazingly, everyone in Holland thought the talent given to him when he was young - people thought he had lost it.

"There was one former player, Rafael van der Vaart, who played at Ajax, Real Madrid and Tottenham, who said at the worst time of Gravenberch's career, 'He's better than Jude Bellingham'.

"Everybody laughed. Van der Vaart was absolutely ridiculed. Now this week people mention that and say, 'Maybe Van der Vaart was right after all'.

"Bellingham is a world-class player, but Gravenberch is up there with him.

"As for the Netherlands team, the midfield has been a very strong area, almost overloaded, but I guarantee this boy will be in that three in our 4-3-3 at the World Cup with Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders. This is the ideal midfield."

Murphy is convinced Gravenberch, who became a father in August, belongs in elite company, saying: "If I was asked to describe him, I'd call him a playmaker, a holding midfield player who has freedom to get forward. I wouldn't call him an attacking midfielder player any more.

"Vitinha at Paris St Germain and Gravenberch are the two best holding midfield players in Europe."

Few, using Gravenberch's current form as a measure, would disagree.