Liverpool told what midfielder to sign over Ryan Gravenberch

Stuart Telford

• 23 Apr 2023 10:28 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool have pulled out of the race to sign Jude Bellingham but Bayern Munich don't want to sell his alternative, Ryan Gravenberch. Dutch legend Aad de Mos has a potential solution.

Liverpool's midfield is in dire need of rejuvenation. Jordan Henderson and James Milner are 33 and 37 respectively, while Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been dogged by injury this season. Naby Keita will leave on a free this summer, meanwhile.

Bellingham had long been Jurgen Klopp's top transfer target, but with Borussia Dortmund slapping a €150 million asking price on their England midfielder, the club's FSG's owners pulled the plug on his pursuit.

READ: Bellingham 'a Ferrari at Christmas' – Klopp makes Liverpool transfer stance clear

"We're not children," said Klopp. "Ask a five-year-old at Christmas, 'What do you want for Christmas?' and they tell you, 'I want to have a Ferrari', you wouldn't say, 'That's a good idea'; you would say, 'No, it's too expensive' and, anyway, you cannot drive it."

— 𝕭𝖊𝖊𝖗𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖆 ☔️ (@Beertruida) April 14, 2023

The Reds then turned their attention to Gravenberch, but Bayern reportedly have no intention to sell, despite the fact he has sat on the bench behind Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka since joining from Ajax for €18.5m last summer.

'If Gravenberch can play at Liverpool, Kokcu can!'

The solution could be Feyenoord's Orkun Kokcu according to Dutch coaching legend De Mos.

READ: Arsenal scout 'next Luka Modric' at Feyenoord

"I think Lazio and Roma, AC Milan and Tottenham, those are teams that he could definitely fit into, the former Ajax and PSV Eindhoven boss told the Twee Viertje podcast.

"[But] if Gravenberch can play at Liverpool - and [Cody] Gakpo - then he can also play at Liverpool!"

"He has to look at a team where the coach really wants him, then I think it's mainly with Liverpool."

Arsenal have also reportedly sent scouts to watch Kokcu this season. The Netherlands-born Turkey international has scored 12 goals from midfield this season, and is valued at €22.9m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.