Following Liverpool’s triumph against AC Milan, Arne Slot disclosed that he overheard Dutch icon Clarence Seedorf wax poetic about Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
The two put on commanding performances as the Reds defeated the opposition 3-1 at the San Siro to begin their Champions League campaign. Gravenberch, who was inserted at number six by Slot, is continuing his explosive start to the season.
Gakpo, meanwhile, received his first start of the Slot era despite having to wait due to Luis Diaz’s explosive form. However, after playing a key role in the Netherlands’ journey to the Euro 2024 semifinals, Gakpo was superb against Milan, setting up Dominik Szoboszlai’s goal to secure all three points in the second half.
Seedorf, a legend at the San Siro and in Holland, was a pundit for Amazon Prime’s show and was very impressed with the two. In fact, Slot heard Seedorf praising his team while performing his post-game media obligations.
“I was standing next to Clarence Seedorf on the desk just a second ago,” the head coach of the Reds stated. They also mentioned Ryan and Cody, and I mentioned that because of the prior players who have played here, it’s a unique area for Dutch guys to play. As a Liverpool player, it’s always good to put on a show like this, and it’s even more pleasant at a place like this.
“Yeah, you can choose these two, but I believe I could choose a few more that played exceptionally well.” As usual, if the team as a whole isn’t playing well, it’s very hard for an individual to play well, and vice versa. The players might shine individually once the squad performs well as a whole.
The rebirth of Gravenberch in a deep-lying capacity has been revolutionary. After spending £34 million to sign for Liverpool in August 2023, he had some promising moments but was mainly surpassed by players such as Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott for the two number-eight positions in Jurgen Klopp’s lineup. In the engine room, Wataru Endo, a Japanese international, was the old manager’s main enforcer and was in charge of screening the defense.
However, Slot desires a person in the midst of the park who can exert more control. For this reason, he attempted to sign Martin Zubimendi as his first player during his rule at Anfield. Liverpool could not praise the Spain international from Real Sociedad, but they were willing to pay his £52 million release clause. Zubimendi desired to remain with the club from his youth.
If Zubimendi International hadn’t declined a transfer to Merseyside, Gravenberch might have continued to play a supporting role. Rather, he’s flourishing and making a name for himself as an unstoppable figure.
Just over a day following Gravenberch’s workshop in Italy, a Spanish story surfaced that piqued Kopites’ curiosity. Estadio Deportivo reports that Zubimendi has asked Liverpool whether they will rekindle their interest in January, expressing remorse for his decision to remain in San Sebastian. There are rumors that he has his sights set on joining the Premier League and won’t sign a new, lucrative contract.
However, Zubimendi will undoubtedly be aware that he may have lost out. The 25-year-old won’t really need to be reminded of Gravenberch’s incredible Liverpool performances. He should also know that the Reds might have made something else their first priority. The futures of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all received a lot of attention. The three important players have expiring contracts at the end of the current campaign, and supporters are beginning to worry that they may go on free transfers.
To be fair, a deal for Zubimendi might not be too difficult to work out. Personal terms were likely to remain the same as they had already been agreed upon. The release clause is still in place, but given the little time Slot has given Endo thus far, he might desire more competition. Nonetheless, there is no longer as much of a need to introduce a new number six.
