Liverpool: £21m Man Utd star would only be a 'back-up player' at Anfield

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·2 October 2023

Liverpool: £21m Man Utd star would only be a 'back-up player' at Anfield

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Liverpool could have signed a “fine backup player” in Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat as Redmen TV presenter Paul Machin compares him to another star signed at Anfield this summer, in an interview with GIVEMESPORT.

Reds head coach Jurgen Klopp bolstered his options in the middle of the park during the summer transfer window.

Liverpool news – Sofyan Amrabat

In a recent interview with BBC Sport, Amrabat confirmed that he only wanted to join Manchester United despite interest from bitter rivals Liverpool. The 27-year-old first gained the attention of the Premier League giants following a string of impressive performances for Morocco during the 2022 World Cup last winter, helping the Atlas Lions become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. He told BBC:

"Yes, of course. After the last game with the club, it was the Conference League final with West Ham, from that moment, the window started for me, a lot of clubs, a lot of speaking and talking, but for me, it was clear I wanted Manchester United.”

over £21m next summer.

Liverpool’s £34m Amrabat alternative

By the time Amrabat put pen to paper on a contract at Old Trafford, Liverpool were in the process of securing their alternative at Anfield. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo had already come through the famous Shankly Gates, but the Reds still had one more addition up their sleeve during the summer transfer window.

On Deadline Day, Liverpool confirmed the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch for £34.2m, after Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabio Carvalho all departed Merseyside during the market.

The 21-year-old is keen to gain more minutes, having been starved of first-team action since his move to Bayern Munich from Ajax last summer. The Dutchman started three Bundesliga games for the German giants before moving to the Premier League and has plenty of opportunity to impress Klopp in the Premier League, Europa League and Carabao Cup.

Sky Sports claim that Liverpool’s interest in Gravenberch had been long-standing and that he was on a shortlist of three options before opting to move to Bayern in 2022. The Bavarian giants weren’t initially open to a sale, and Liverpool prioritised their failed pursuits of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, both choosing Chelsea over Liverpool during the summer.

But a move on Deadline Day was sealed, providing Klopp with several options in midfield this season. Machin has already suggested to GIVEMESPORT that Liverpool won’t regret signing Gravenberch over Amrabat in the long run.

Gravenberch could become an ‘absolute star’ – Paul Machin

The Redmen TV Presenter admits that Amrabat and Gravenberch don’t play the same role but thinks the latter could have a higher ceiling and become an “absolute star.” He told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think he'd have been a fine backup player for Liverpool, whereas Gravenberch can be a fine backup player for Liverpool now, but with the ceiling he's got, you can see him going on to be an absolute star. They don't quite play the same position, which is worth pointing out. Gravenberch isn't a pure number six, but the versatility, mobility, height, skill, and experience he already has at 21, I feel like Liverpool have an absolute gem in Gravenberch.”

Gravenberch could prove to be the better long-term option

Whilst Amrabat could be ready-made for Liverpool’s first team, Gravenberch has age on his side heading into the next few seasons. The Dutchman is six years Amrabat’s junior and has plenty of time to develop and learn from players such as Mac Allister and Endo, aiming to become one of Europe’s leading midfielders.

However, Gravenberch’s desperation for first-team football signals that he expects regular first-team minutes, putting Klopp under pressure to offer the talent playtime. But with Liverpool fighting on four fronts so far this term, there could be plenty of opportunities for Gravenberch to settle into Klopp’s side.

What next for Liverpool and Gravenberch?

Liverpool’s attention turns back towards the Europa League after last weekend’s disappointing 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. The Reds welcome Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise to Anfield, looking to build on their opening group stage victory over LASK Linz almost two weeks ago.

Gravenberch could be handed the opportunity to dominate the midfield as the Reds aim to finish top of the group and secure their place in the last-16 of the tournament. Liverpool then face a challenging test at fellow Europa League participants Brighton & Hove Albion when the duo return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon.