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Liverpool's defender Virgil van Dijk has claimed that Ryan Gravenberch is an important player in the Reds' tactical setup. He also revealed that he's happy with the midfielder's progress at Anfield.
In an interview after Liverpool's 2-1 win against Everton in the Premier League, Van Dijk claimed that Gravenberch is in his best form. He went on to encourage the 23-year-old to remain consistent, saying (via Irish Independent):
"He’s very important to the way we play, I'm very pleased for him because he puts in a lot of hard work to do what he is doing. You see the amount of times I try to look for him. It benefits him, me and the team. He’s in incredible shape. He’s in the form of his life. He has to keep going. He’s still young. The expectation level will always be right up there and that’s what he has to try to reach every three or four days. It’s a nice challenge."
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Gravenberch was the mastermind behind the Reds' victory over Everton, who also happen to be their local league rivals. He scored the opening goal and created the second as Liverpool registered their fifth win in the new Premier League term.
Since joining the Reds from Bayern Munich for a reported £34.2 million in September 2023, Gravenberch has been an important player in the defensive and offensive areas of the midfield. He has scored two goals and delivered two assists in five appearances across all competitions this season.
"He is seriously talented" - Former Liverpool star Michael Owen on Ryan Gravenberch.
Michael Owen has asserted that Ryan Gravenberch is a highly talented player whose deep-lying midfield role doesn't hinder him from contributing immensely in attack. He went on to claim that there are only a few midfielders who are better than Gravenberch at the moment.
In an interview after the Reds secured their fifth victory of the 2025-26 Premier League term, Owen said (via Liverpool.com):
"He is seriously talented, he can do anything. I love him in the sitting number six role. It just shows you can push him forward, and he can still have a big influence."
He added:
"I look around the world at the moment at midfield players and I think, Who is better than him? Who is performing better than him? I don’t see many at all. I think, he is one of the finds of the last season or so."
Gravenberch recently became the youngest player to score and assist in a Premier League Merseyside derby (via OptaJoe on X). He was likewise named the league's young player of the year last season. In 92 games since joining Liverpool, Gravenberch has registered 14 goal contributions, further proving his significance in Arne Slot's starting XI.
