Bayern Munich ‘regret’ selling Ryan Gravenberch – but they deserve credit for ‘best No.6 in the league’
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Ryan Gravenberch's struggles at Bayern Munich sparked fears he might be a lost talent - but it made him the player he is today.The Dutch midfielder has lived up to the 'new Frank Rijkaard' label that was once a burden upon him after flourishing at Liverpool.6Gravenberch started 37 out of 38 league matches last season, as Liverpool were crowned championsCredit: AFPThe 23-year-old has been the Premier League champions' best player this season, having been dubbed the best No.6 in the top-flight.Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy has gone one step further by claiming Gravenberch is the standout all-around midfielder.It marks a remarkable turnaround for the latter, who saw his fortunes completely transformed by Arne Slot's arrival at Anfield in 2024.Gravenberch's Bayern Munich strugglesGravenberch was hailed as 'one of the biggest talents in Europe' by Bayern's former sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic two years prior.read more on ryan gravenberchThe Netherlands international had just completed a £21million move from Ajax. but made just six starts for the Bavarians.Despite this, European football broadcaster Andy Brassell claimed Gravenberch had become a better player than he had been at Ajax.He exclusively told talkSPORT.com: “The reason that Gravenberch ended up at Bayern was, it wasn't so much of a planned signing. And they just thought, 'Oh, yeah, we could need a young midfield player and there's an opportunity.' “It never felt like they had a plan for him at all.
“Now, with Gravenberch, because they get him as an opportunity rather than a planned signing, he's an afterthought.“I don't think they really put that much into his development. At that point, it looks like Gravenberch is going to be more of an attacking midfielder.“Given that Bayern play with wingers a lot as well, I think there's a doubt whether he fits that system.“You look at the fact they've got the two big guys, as we said, still ruling the roost, and it's quite difficult to fit him in, “I think, especially when he was coming out of a position where he wasn't one of Ajax's very best players.
And so it proved in the end.”6Ryan Gravenberch's stats at Bayern MunichRyan Gravenberch's stats at Bayern MunichGames: 34Games: 95Goals: 1Goals: 6Assists: 1Assists: 8Minutes played: 947Minutes played: 6,738Trophies won: 2Trophies won: 2How much did Liverpool pay for Gravenberch?He was rescued by Liverpool on deadline day 2023 for £34m, but completed just one full 90 minutes under Jurgen Klopp.Slot's subsequent failure to sign now-Arsenal star Martin Zubimendi saw him turn to Gravenberch to play the role, and the rest is history.Gravenberch's success as a holding midfielder has reportedly caused a wave of 'regret' to sweep over his old club, Bayern Munich.But Brassell argued that the Bundesliga champions still got a great deal and deserve credit for their part in his development.Danny Murphy & Darren Lewis debate who the best midfielder in the Premier League is“The way he's been able to adapt at Liverpool firstly says that Bayern have done some sort of decent job with him, even if it wasn't enough to get them into their first team,” he told talkSPORT.“It's developed him in a way. He's a much better player than he was at Ajax by the time he arrived at Liverpool, simply through playing a few games and training with Bayern the whole time.“Obviously, there's enormous experience on their coaching staff, whatever the particular era that they're in.