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Liverpool recently signed up Ryan Gravenberch to a six-year contract extension.
The 23-year-old’s new deal will last until 2032 – with the Dutchman raking in around £277k per week. .
Gravenberch has been lethargic and off the pace in his No6 position – far from the standard he set during the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Arne Slot found a new gear in his compatriot but there is something crucial missing in Gravenberch’s play this term. His passing hasn’t been as sharp and teams have worked out how to nullify his impact from deep.
The temporary fix of putting Gravenberch in the “Busquets” role for Liverpool is now producing diminishing returns.
But Liverpool are going to have to extract value from Gravenberch over the coming seasons – and a switch back to his natural home at No8 could once again bring the best out of him.
We need to move Gravenberch to No8
Against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday he showed glimpses of what he could provide further forward – full of powerful running, occasional dribbles and a few shots at goal.
Placing Gravenberch closer to the goal could bring huge benefits for the Premier League champions – and an upgrade on the underperforming Alexis Mac Allister.
Doing so would require a midfielder to come in and sit deeper however.
Liverpool could sign Angelo Stiller
Liverpool don’t have an abundance of midfield talent at their disposal who can easily fill in – Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones both look set to leave the club and James McConnell lacks experience.
It’s likely that Richard Hughes will have to go into the market in order to find a solution – and an ideal candidate is now presenting itself.
According toa report in Football Insider the Stuttgart and Germany metronome Angelo Stiller will be available this summer for between £50m and £60m.
The 25-year-old had a release clause recently removed from his Stuttgart deal – meaning the Bundesliga club are preparing to cash in on their special talent.
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Stiller can play deeper and allow Gravenberch to shine
Stiller has been linked with a move to Liverpool – as well as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan – and it’s clear that Anfield could provide an ideal platform for the left-footer’s talents.
He brings bags of on-the-ball quality as well as tenacity and discipline out of possession. Those skills are set to be in demand on Merseyside this summer as Arne Slot seeks a reset in midfield.
It would also have the twin benefit of unlocking Gravenberch and ensuring that Liverpool can get back to their best. This is a deal that the Reds cannot afford to miss.
