Liverpool are set to sign the Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch in a deal worth an initial €40m (£34.25m) and a further €5m in add-ons. The Dutch international is poised to sign a five-year contract and a medical has been booked for Friday morning.
Gravenberch is a long-time Klopp target. The midfielder was monitored by Liverpool before he left Ajax for Bayern last year and has been on Klopp’s list of preferred candidates for his midfield overhaul all summer. The club met the player’s representatives several months ago but Gravenberch has had to wait to discover whether he featured in Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the new season. He has played only 10 minutes for Bayern so far and has been allowed to leave after the Bundesliga champions made a breakthrough in their attempts to sign João Palhinha from Fulham.
The 21-year-old will be Liverpool’s fourth midfield signing of the window after Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo, and takes the club’s summer spend to £150m. Liverpool have recouped £52m through the sales of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. Three other midfielders, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta, also left Anfield this summer.
Klopp believes the Netherlands international can operate in a variety of midfield roles, including the No 6 position, and vastly improves his options for the campaign ahead.
Despite continued reports of interest from Al-Ittihad in Mohamed Salah, Liverpool have not received a bid for their star player and have no intention of selling him. Nat Phillips, who joined Celtic on loan on Thursday, is expected to be the only senior departure before the transfer deadline.