{"id":295339,"date":"2023-10-06T12:26:36","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T12:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=295339"},"modified":"2023-10-06T12:26:36","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T12:26:36","slug":"jurgen-klopp-hails-top-class-ryan-gravenberch-after-first-reds-goal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/jurgen-klopp-hails-top-class-ryan-gravenberch-after-first-reds-goal\/","title":{"rendered":"Jurgen Klopp hails 'top class' Ryan Gravenberch after first Reds goal"},"content":{"rendered":"
Jurgen Klopp says Deadline Day signing Ryan Gravenberch is \u2018top class\u2019, a \u2018smart boy\u2019 and has \u2018raw power\u2019 after the Dutch midfielder opened his Liverpool account with a goal against Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Gravenberch signed from Bayern Munich in the final hours of the transfer window after a frustrating year with the German champions. Liverpool had courted the 21-year-old since his days in Ajax\u2019s academy and finally had their man to complete a summer of four midfield arrivals.<\/p>\n
And though he has not established himself as a certain starter for Klopp\u2019s team, Gravenberch has impressed many fans with his dynamism. He has a goal and two assists in his three starts for the Reds, already matching Jordan Henderson\u2019s tally for the club in the whole of last season.<\/p>\n
\u2018He has raw power, yeah, I am not sure a lot of people would have described him as that in the past,\u2019 said Klopp after Gravenberch and Diogo Jota helped Liverpool to another Europa League win on Thursday. \u2018He is technically incredibly good.<\/p>\n
\u2018That first touch is insane, the speed is top class, he\u2019s a really good shooter, he is a really good player. Yes, he came late (in the transfer window), and yes we play slightly differently (to Bayern) and he needs time to adapt. That is what we can give him, thank god.<\/p>\n
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Ryan Gravenberch scored his first Liverpool goal in their win over Union Saint-Gilloise<\/p>\n
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Jurgen Klopp has described the \u00a334m summer signing from Bayern Munich as ‘top class’<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
\u2018He is completely happy with that and in the groove, he realises each training session he is treated completely like others whether he starts or not. He gets even more information in specific moments, he can see what the other boys do in similar positions.<\/p>\n
\u2018He learns, he is a smart boy, everything is going in the right direction and that is really nice to see. He has assisted in the other games and now he has his first goal. It is good. Long may it continue. (He is) very important for us.\u2019<\/p>\n
Gravenberch made just six starts for Bayern last season and was perhaps not helped by the Bavarians changing bosses from Julian Nagelsmann to Thomas Tuchel midway through the campaign. Liverpool wanted him all summer but Bayern finally sold him late in the window.<\/p>\n
He arrived for just \u00a334million and that looks like a mighty bargain when noting some prices for midfielders this summer, not least the \u00a3115m Chelsea put down on Liverpool target Moises Caicedo, who has struggled so far at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n
After the game, Klopp said: \u2018I think it’s really obvious how good he is, what a talent he is. He’s enjoying the situation, enjoying himself, that’s very important, (he) gets step by step all the confidence back, that’s really cool to see. Everything goes in the right direction.\u2019<\/p>\n
Gravenberch recorded 67 touches on Thursday – more than any midfielder or attacker on the pitch – and became the first player to either score or assist a goal in each of his first three starts for Liverpool in all competitions since Milan Baros in September 2002.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman himself added on his 44th-minute strike, which was a tap-in after a goalkeeper error: \u2018It was the best goal of my career so far – the easiest! It doesn\u2019t matter (how they come), a goal is a goal.\u2019<\/p>\n
Asked what has changed from his time in Germany, he said: \u2018I think the minutes. When you get minutes, you get confident, that\u2019s it. They are a really good group (of players), lots of young players. I am just enjoying it.<\/p>\n
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Gravenberch looks like a bargain signings compared to the likes of Moises Caicedo<\/p>\n
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Klopp said the Dutch midfielder ‘will need time to adjust’ but is ‘smart’ and has ‘raw power’<\/p>\n
\u2018Liverpool did a great job to buy such good players (in the summer). There is such a good mood. I was very happy that (the fans) gave me such a good feeling (when he was substituted in the second half) and I want to give them something back.\u2019<\/p>\n
Gravenberch was one of four midfield additions in the transfer window and one of those, Wataru Endo, went off at half-time alongside Mo Salah and Darwin N\u00fa\u00f1ez against USG, perhaps hinting he is in line to start in Sunday\u2019s trip to Brighton.<\/p>\n
Cody Gakpo will sit out of the match but is hoping to be OK after the international break following a knee injury, while sub keeper Caiomhin Kelleher also has knee issues. Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic have suffered minor setbacks in their returns after long-term lay-offs. Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota are suspended.<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotif.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n