“Has done nothing since he has come” - Liverpool legend takes aim at Reds' 22-year-old star
Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol reckons midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has done precious little since arriving at Anfield last summer. The 22-year-old made the move from Bayern Munich.
In his debut season at the club, the Dutch international tallied four goals and two assists in 38 games across competitions. Just one of those goals came in 28 games in the Premier League - where the Reds finished third - behind Manchester City and Arsenal.
Gravenberch registered two goals and an assist in five games in the UEFA Europa League, where Jurgen Klopp's side lost 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Atalanta in the quarter-final. He also scored once in two games in the FA Cup, where the Reds lost 4-3 in extra time to eventual winners Manchester United in the quarter-final.
Nicol shared his take on Gravenberch exploits for the Reds so far, telling talkSPORT (via HITC):
“I don’t know if it’s a kind of false dawn that Gravenberch, who for me has done nothing since he has come to the club. He has had a couple of decent games, but it’s Ipswich and Brentford.
"That’s the problem. If they are taking a chance on that, then that’s where they can slip up between now and the next transfer window.”
The Reds take on Manchester United away on Sunday (September 1) in their next Premier League game, having won their first two matches of the season without conceding.
Liverpool reportedly agree deal to sign Federico Chiesa
As per the BBC, Liverpool have struck a reported £12.5 million deal to sign Juventus attacker Federico Chiesa. The deal comprises a £10 million fixed fee and the rest as add-ons.
The 26-year-old is set to arrive at Anfield after a four-year spell at the Bianconeri - where he bagged 32 goals in 131 games across competitions. That includes 10 strikes in 37 games across competitions last season, where Juve finished third in Serie A and won the Coppa Italia.
However, Chiesa became surplus to requirements under new boss Thiago Motta and hasn't played for the Bianconeri this season. The midfielder was last in action for Italy at Euro 2024. He played four games without making a goal contribution as the Azzurri's title defence ended with a 2-0 Round-of-16 defeat to Switzerland.
The Reds have been fairly quiet this summer in the transfer market, having only agreed a deal to sign Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who's set to join next season.