Ryan Gravenberch’s agent has released a statement after he claimed he would “love” to see the Liverpool midfielder play for Real Madrid.
Gravenberch, 22, has been a key figure in Liverpool’s midfield this season, contributing to what looks set to be a Premier League title-winning campaign.
With the futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah still uncertain, head coach Arne Slot will likely be eager to prevent the Netherlands midfielder from leaving the club.
However, in a recent interview with Spanish outlet MARCA, his agent made a surprising claim.
“When Ryan was 16, Barcelona reached out to us,” said Jose Fortes Rodriguez. “They wanted to sign him, but his father and I focused on his development. He’s good enough for Real Madrid. We’d love for him to play there, but Liverpool would demand a large fee. I know they’ve been keeping an eye on him, but now it’s impossible.”
Such a statement understandably raised concerns among Liverpool fans, many of whom voiced their worries on social media.
Rodriguez, however, later took to Instagram to clarify his remarks.
“I’m Spanish,” he wrote. “It’s my dream club, not Ryan’s. He is really happy, and if you ask Ryan, he’ll agree that Liverpool is the biggest club in the world. No stress, keep calm.”
This clarification will likely be reassuring for both Slot and Liverpool fans, especially considering Gravenberch has started every Premier League match of the 2024/25 season. This is particularly impressive given that he was out of favor for much of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.
Gravenberch has previously credited Slot for his improved performances.
“Now I play a lot of games as a starter, so it’s a bit different,” Gravenberch told TNT Sports in November. “The coach gave me confidence when I needed it, and I’m happy I can show myself again.”
He added, “Just the run of games—you really need it. Sometimes it’s really hard. For example, if you’re on the bench and the next game you play well, but then the next game you’re back on the bench or only get 10 minutes, those 10 minutes don’t always go the way you want. Then, you’re back on the bench again, and that’s difficult.”
