Jamie Carragher makes clear Liverpool transfer demand as Ryan Gravenberch point made
The former Liverpool defender turned TV pundit was on commentary duty for the surprise defeat to Fulham.
Jamie Carragher insists Ryan Gravenberch's step up in class this season should prove to Liverpool that they have enough quality in midfield, so should spend whatever transfer budget they have on other areas of the squad.
Despite a weekend setback, no-one could question a Premier League title triumph would be Arne Slot's greatest achievement in his first season as Liverpool head coach. As a close runner-up, his changes that have sparked such vast improvement in midfielder Gravenberch will receive incredible praise.
The 22-year-old, signed from Bayern Munich for £40m on summer deadline day 2023, has made 43 appearances under the club's Dutch head coach, but even more impressively has started all of those. He originally arrived as a more advanced midfielder, but has been transformed into a defensive option.
"Watching him during his first season, he had a decent season. Looked like more of an attacking midfield player," Carragher assessed on commentary duty for Sky Sports during Sunday afternoon's defeat to Fulham.
"To put him in a position he's put him in - because Liverpool were desperate for a holding midfielder - you think of how many players they bid for. [Moises] Caicedo, [Romeo] Lavia both went to Chelsea and [Martin] Zubimendi this summer, as well."
The former Red turned TV pundit was drawing attention to past summer transfer windows of Liverpool. In 2023, Jurgen Klopp oversaw a long overdue rebuild of his engine room in which £145m was spent on Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Gravenberch, while Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were sold.
Defensive-minded Endo arrived as a pragmatic decision when a £111m attempt to land Caicedo from Brighton fell through as he chose to move to Chelsea instead - as the Blues eventually coughed up £115m. In the same window Lavia, then at Southampton, also ended up at Stamford Bridge instead of Anfield for a £58m fee.
The following summer, last year, the Reds followed up by targeting Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi. The Euro 2024 winner at first looked destined to move for £52m but, again, another defensive midfield transfer went wrong.
Back on commentary, Carragher continued: "They may even go back in the market this summer. Who knows?"
And finally he added his opinion, stating: "But certainly the performances of Gravenberch in the position alongside Mac Allister would make you feel the funds they've got, they should spend in other areas."
Building up to Slot's second summer window at the helm, he has spent only £12.5m last year on Italy star, Federico Chiesa, while goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to soon arrive based on his pre-agreed £30m move. Rumours would outline more defenders and forwards are the main order of the day for Slot and key transfer figures upstairs when they are, again able to do business.
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