Liverpool 'agree Gravenberch contract terms'

Stuart Telford

• 18 Apr 2023 11:36 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool have reportedly agreed to match Ryan Gravenberch's Bayern Munich wages after speaking to the midfielder's father and agent.

Liverpool are moving onto other targets after pulling out of the race to sign England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Liverpool, and Bayern youngster Gravenberch has been identified as a viable alternative.

The 20-year-old Dutchman was regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in the world at Ajax, but has lost his way at Bayern since making an €18.5 million move last summer.

READ: Liverpool close on Bellingham alternative after agent 'spotted at Anfield'

Gravenberch may have recently liked a Tweet suggesting that he wouldn't leave Bayern this summer, but that hasn't stopped his father, Ryan senior, and agent Jose Fortes from speaking to Liverpool.

Gravenberch's deal

"Gravenberch is on £100,000-a-week in Germany - after tax. That means Liverpool would have to give him a £200,000-a-week contract just to match those terms," report the Mirror.

"But those figures were not deemed to be an issue when the Merseysiders spoke to Gravenberch's advisers in Amsterdam last Wednesday. And Liverpool are hoping that Bayern will do business if they can recoup the £16.3 million they paid Ajax last summer."

READ: Liverpool told to sign Feyenoord star duo by Kuyt

New Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel talked Gravenberch up on replacing Julian Nagelsmann as manager recently, but Gravenberch has only played 10 minutes of the former Chelsea man's first four games as coach.

Reports in Germany also suggest that Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo - a full-back by trade - could get used beside Joshua Kimmich in midfield against his parent club on Wednesday with Tuchel unhappy with Leon Goretzka's recent performances.

Should Gravenberch sit on the bench while a defender take up his role on Wednesday, the writing would really be on the wall for him at the Allianz Arena.

Gravenberch is valued at €54.7m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm through a combination of his age, talent, and contract duration (his deal in Bavaria runs until June 2027), so the Reds could be getting a bargain if they can persuade Bayern to part ways with him.