Ryan Gravenberch‘s agent has admitted he “would love” the midfielder to join Real Madrid, though he described a deal with Liverpool as “impossible.”
Gravenberch has been the surprise success story of Liverpool’s season, emerging from a squad role under Jurgen Klopp to become one of Arne Slot‘s most important players.
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He is alongside Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah as one of only three players to start every Premier League game so far – three Liverpool outfielders haven’t started their first 31 league games since 1987/88.
But along with elite-level comes elite-level interest, and as Gravenberch’s second campaign at Anfield nears its end, links with Real Madrid have emerged.
Those come from the Dutchman’s agent himself, with long-time representative Jose Fortes telling Marca he “would love” his client to join the Spanish champions.
“He’s good enough for Real Madrid. We would love for him to play for them, but Liverpool would ask for a lot of money,” Fortes said.
“I know they’ve had their eye on him, but now it’s impossible.”
While Fortes described a deal with Liverpool as “impossible” due to their hypothetical price tag, his comments are hardly encouraging.
Having already played for Ajax, Bayern Munich and Liverpool at 22, it is clear that Gravenberch is an ambitious individual who is comfortable swapping clubs and countries to reach the level he believes he is capable of.
That comes under the guidance of Fortes along with his father, Ryan Sr., and would suggest he may not stay on Merseyside for the long term.
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However, Fortes’ comments on the pathway Gravenberch has taken so far at least display the understanding that he requires the right club rather than the most esteem.
“When Ryan was 16, Barca called us. They wanted to sign him, but his father and I prioritised his development,” he explained.
“At Ajax, he was able to develop in a way that he possibly wouldn’t have at Barca.”
This continued as Gravenberch found himself out of favour at Bayern, with Fortes saying: “Ryan needed playing time to develop. I told [Julian] Nagelsmann that if he didn’t play, he would leave.
“We were clear that he had to go to Liverpool; he fit in perfectly with this team.”
Gravenberch signed a five-year contract when he joined Liverpool from Bayern in a deal worth £38.5 million in 2023, meaning he is tied to the club until 2028.
It would be no surprise if the Reds opened talks over new terms in the near future, particularly given his growing importance, and Fortes’ interview with Marca may have been the first nudge towards that happening.
