Ronald Koeman responds to Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch after 'laziness' claim

Holland boss Ronald Koeman has responded to Ryan Gravenberch's form at Liverpool and revealed talks with Virgil van Dijk

Holland boss Ronald Koeman has suggested "maybe the penny will drop" with Ryan Gravenberch after reacting to the midfielder's strong start to the season at Liverpool. Gravenberch has proven an unexpected hit after being shifted into a defensive midfield role by new Reds head coach Arne Slot and was outstanding in the 3-0 humiliation of Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Koeman has been regularly critical of the 22-year-old after the player took the decision to drop out of Holland under-21 contention a year ago to concentrate on gaining match sharpness at Liverpool having just arrived from Bayern Munich in a £34million deal.

Gravenberch was briefly exiled from the Dutch national team set-up before being reintegrated and was part of the squad for the European Championships this summer, although he failed to play a single minute.

And after calling up the player for Holland's forthcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany, Koeman was asked about Gravenberch's good form at a press conference on Tuesday.

"It might be a bit of confidence that he gains," said the Holland boss. "He started earlier than some other internationals. Maybe the penny will drop now.

"We have always seen a lot of potential in Ryan. A lot of people, including me, thought that some of his concentration, his laziness, could be improved.

'It seems he realises what is required of Liverpool's midfield in the Premier League. If a player is given the confidence or the opportunity, then it can be the push in the right direction."

Koeman also revealed he flew to England to talk directly with Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk over the future of his captain in the national team.

Van Dijk has regularly been criticised by former Holland players for his performances with the national team, despite the Dutch reaching the World Cup quarter-finals two years ago and the semi-finals of the Euros in July.

"I noticed how Virgil was feeling, so I thought it was very important to visit him," said Koeman. "He indicated that he wants to give it another two years, towards the World Cup. I also have that feeling about him, even though, as he also indicated, he did not reach his level at the last European Championships.

"He remains captain. He has done that very well and we also discussed how he can manage that better in combination with his own game. It is very positive that he stands for the group like this, but you have to reach your own level first. That's the most important thing.

"He felt that he was too concerned with others. But it is not without reason that he was chosen for the best Premier League team (last season)."