2023-08-31 23:09:00
“Ryan Gravenberch,” Kimmich gushed, “is the thing I’m most excited about! He’s technically top notch and hardly ever loses a ball. We’ll really enjoy it!”
Only a few on Säbener Strasse doubted the footballing facilities and the potential of the 21-year-old.
But it takes more than that to survive in the FC Bayern shark tank. Confidence, support, patience. Gravenberch had too little of all that. Not helpful: his unsettled surroundings, which strengthened his dissatisfaction instead of motivating him.
His many interviews, in which he repeatedly complained about his role, were unsurprisingly perceived internally as unfortunate and unprofessional. Those responsible also registered that his advisors started looking for a club early on. The first contact with Liverpool was in February. Back then, Gravenberch was already telling people in the dressing room that he would like to change. Winner mentality is something else! Other players in this age group – Jamal Musiala, Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies – have them, Ryan Gravenberch not (yet).
And yet FC Bayern has to put up with the accusation that it is partly to blame for this misunderstanding.
A certainly justified reason for Gravenberch’s anger was the clear promise of the former sporting director around Hasan Salihamidzic before his move to Munich that he would get a lot of playing time right away.
Gravenberch felt betrayed when he realized that ex-coach Julian Nagelsmann, despite good preparation, first put Marcel Sabitzer in front of him and then Leon Goretzka, who publicly pawed his hooves. As a result, he missed the World Cup. A serious personal setback.
A talent that rightly half of Europe was fighting for should have been strengthened with more playing time and also given him more room for mistakes! Especially because most of the remaining midfielders weakened last season. Nagelsmann in particular was not brave enough with Gravenberch. It was to be expected that Thomas Tuchel would no longer find contact with him because three titles were at stake immediately after his arrival and there was no time for experiments. And so the Gravenberch chapter ends, not surprisingly, after just one season.
His transfer to Liverpool is the best for everyone involved. Bayern win because they pay more than double (up to 45 million euros) the sum that he transferred to Ajax Amsterdam a year ago – and can thus partly finance Tuchel’s dream six, Joao Palhinha. Gravenberch wins because he leaves the place where he never arrived. And Liverpool wins because Gravenberch is an excellent footballer – if he gets on track. Jürgen Klopp is capable of grinding this rough diamond into a top player.
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