Liverpool, Man Utd get second big transfer blow after Bellingham rejection as ‘off limits’ claim made

Liverpool and Manchester United have been dealt a fresh blow in the pursuit of Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, according to reports. 

The Premier League duo have allegedly been eyeing the 20-year-old as an alternative to Jude Bellingham, but they could now be forced to look elsewhere for a new midfielder.

Gravenberch is tipped to become a top player in the future, despite struggling for consistent minutes at Bayern, so this will be frustrating for both Jurgen Klopp and Erik ten Hag.

It’s no secret that Liverpool are in need of midfield recruits this summer, with the likes of James Milner, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson all past their prime.

Naby Keita and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain are also set to depart Anfield at the end of the season, so Klopp will need to replace them, too.

As for Man Utd, Ten Hag is thought to be keen to bring in a new centre-mid after his team have struggled to cope with the absence of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen recently.

While both clubs’ first choice was Jude Bellingham, his astronomical price tag has made a switch to Liverpool or Man Utd unlikely.

Given he is another young, talented midfielder, it’s understandable why Gravenberch became a key target for the Premier League rivals.

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Gravenberch tipped to stay at Bayern

According to reputed transfer journalist Christian Falk, Gravenberch is now ‘off limits,’ with Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic insisting that he isn’t for sale this summer.

He adds that Man Utd would be ‘better served’ pursuing a permanent deal for Bayern loanee Marcel Sabitzer, rather than wasting their time on the Netherlands international.

In fairness, it’s understandable why the Bundesliga giants are keen to keep Gravenberch, as he is widely considered to be one of the most promising midfielders in Europe at the moment.

However, as mentioned, he has struggled for consistent minutes at Bayern, making just two league starts for Bayern this term.

Interestingly, Ten Hag was the manager who gave Gravenberch his debut at his previous club, Ajax. In fact, the Man Utd boss oversaw all 103 of the midfielder’s appearances for the Dutch club.

In that time, the Dutchman scored 12 goals and made 13 assists – helping them to win three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups in the process.

However, even with Ten Hag’s previous relationship with Gravenberch, a summer switch to Old Trafford is now looking increasingly unlikely.

With Liverpool and Man Utd now set to pursue alternative targets, it will be interesting to see who they bring in this summer.

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