Liverpool fans were left ecstatic with Ryan Gravenberch after he produced yet another impressive display as the Reds demolished Toulouse 5-1 at Anfield.
The Dutchman was rewarded with the Man of the Match, in just his ninth appearance for the club, catching the eye with his pace, power and impressive close control.
The 21-year-old capped off his performance with a well taken goal as he slotted home at the Kop end for his first at Anfield.
In doing so, he kept up his record of a goal or assist in every Europa League game so far demonstrating that he has all the attributes required to thrive in a Liverpool midfield. He even earning a standing ovation from the home fans when he was brought off late on.
Jurgen Klopp told TNT Sports afterwards: “A good player, huh? I told him when he came off, nice player! I’m so happy for him that he starts really enjoying his football again.
“I really like him as a boy and as a player, and it’s really nice to see how much he starts believing in himself again. That’s obviously very important for each player but for a young player especially. So that’s cool.”
Gravenberch currently looks high on confidence at Liverpool in comparison to when he was playing for FC Bayern last season, where it didn’t quite happen for the youngster.
After previously playing under Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel, he now looks like he’s got a new lease of life under Klopp, who is known for his ability to nurture young talents.
It’s still early in the Dutchman’s Liverpool career, but some fans are already thanking Bayern for allowing him to arrive on Merseyside for such a small fee in today’s world.
Gravenberch’s a £80m midfielder man how have we managed to get him for £35m from Bayern Munich.
Fleeced them…
— 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒄𝒐🧣 (@WilcoFtbl) October 26, 2023
The young midfielder was seen as a teenage superstar at Ajax and he’s now starting to live up to the hype with his performances at Liverpool, leaving Bayern looking as if they made a mistake in letting him go at such a young age.
However, the £35 million signing appears to have certainly benefited Klopp ‘s side.
The Liverpool boss added: “You can see it. His first touch is incredible, how strong he is in tight spaces. He’s not even halfway where he can be, but it’s really promising.
“Lots to improve still. It’s good news because everybody sees the good signs and the potential, he has but there’s so much more to come, so that’s good.”
After a busy summer, Klopp now has a variety of options in midfield, but he’s appeared visibly thrilled by what he’s seen from Gravenberch so far and the two seem to have built up a good relationship already.
Ryan Gravenberch responds to viral clip of Jurgen Klopp rubbing his chin
Read here 👇https://t.co/v6HtmDe7rV
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 14, 2023
If what Klopp says is true and the 21-year-old is still a while away from reaching his peak, then Liverpool certainly have a player on their hands in years to come.
As well as his performances in the Europa League, Gravenberch also showed his quality last weekend, in what was his first ever Premier League start, against Merseyside rivals Everton.
That performance, alongside last night’s display has put him in prime position to earn another start against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
If he is to start, then the summer signing from Bayern will equal the tally of starts he reached for the German club in the whole of last season in just under two months at Liverpool.
Reds fans should be excited to have a potential superstar on their hands, which could bolster there efforts to win silverware this campaign, as long as he continues to add quality and chip in with some vital goal contributions.
