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Ryan Gravenberch has turned down an international call-up so that he can focus on bedding in at Liverpool. The Dutchman will be keen to make an instant impact under Jurgen Klopp after failing to break into the starting XI at Bayern Munich.
Gravenberch only spent one season in Bavaria, but that was all it took to persuade him that a new challenge would be best for his career. The 21-year-old was used sparingly by Thomas Tuchel at the end of last season, having to settle primarily for cameos off the bench.
Bayern still managed to turn a tidy profit on the player, however, as Liverpool forked out £34million to snap him up on deadline day. Gravenberch was not deemed ready to make the matchday squad for the Reds’ 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
The youngster will hope to be in amongst the action for the trip to face Wolves once domestic action resumes on September 16.
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To give himself the best possible chance, Gravenberch has refused a call-up to the Netherlands under-21s. “Ryan Gravenberch will not travel to Zeist this international match to join the Dutch Juniors,” read part of a statement released on Monday.
“The Liverpool FC midfielder has indicated to KNVB coach Michael Reiziger that he wants to focus on his new club during the international match in September and will therefore not make himself available.”
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Gravenberch was a regular fixture at Ajax, becoming a pillar of Erik ten Hag’s starting XI while still a teenager before getting his move to Bayern. Technically capable and standing at 6ft 3in tall, Liverpool fans will be keen to see what he can bring to the Premier League.
The Dutchman’s lack of football in Germany has seen him tumble back down to the Netherlands’ youth teams. Gravenberch earned 10 caps in 2021, but has only appeared once for the senior side since then.
Klopp will surely appreciate the midfielder’s commitment to giving himself the best possible start to life on Merseyside. On the late-summer move, the Liverpool boss said: “We’re really happy to bring him in because he’s an exceptional talent.
“He had a full pre-season, that’s good. The medical was as clear as it can be pretty much, he looks really fit. He is a smart boy. When I talked to him I realised that pretty quickly. And he loves to be here, which is a good thing as well.”
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