31 August 2023 , 08:37
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Liverpool are pursuing a deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, but could be left empty-handed due to a chain of transfers which ends with Fulham.
Jurgen Klopp is keen to strengthen his squad with another midfielder before the summer transfer window shuts at 11pm on Friday. Liverpool have signed Dominik Szboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister this summer, but want another more defensively-minded midfielder after losing Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the riches of the Saudi Pro League.
After weeks of speculation, the Reds entered talks with Bayern over Gravenberch on Wednesday. Gravenberch has struggled for game time since arriving from Ajax last summer and Bayern are willing to let him go, although their conditions could scupper a late deal in the window.
Gravenberch is keen to move to Merseyside after starting just three times in the Bundesliga last season and beginning this campaign on the bench. But Bayern are unwilling to let the 21-year-old leave without sourcing a replacement for manager Thomas Tuchel.
According to The Athletic, they have identified Fulham star Joao Palhinha as their preferred target. The Portugal international impressed in the Premier League last season when he topped the tackling stats and has been linked with a summer move.
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The problem for Bayern – and therefore Liverpool and Gravenberch – is that Fulham do not want to sell Palhinha. The 28-year-old only joined the club from Sporting Lisbon last summer for £20million and they don’t want to lose him so late in the window.
Fulham have already lost star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who left for Al-Hilal in a deal worth £46m, and are in no mood to offload another one of their best players. Marco Silva’s side are in a strong position, too, with Palhinha under contract until June 2027.
Joao Palhinha could prevent Liverpool from signing Ryan Gravenberch (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Liverpool land Ryan Gravenberch before the window closes? Comment below.
Palhinha has previously been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham and Silva revealed earlier this month that Fulham had already rejected offers. “This club, this season is receiving more offers than ever,” he said. “I’m talking about really [big] offers, in numbers that probably the club in the last few seasons didn’t expect to have.
“We have to be ready as a club for the consequences from the season that we had. If you perform like we did, if you do something that no one expected, something great, of course this club is probably receiving more offers than ever.”
Speaking in March, Silva said of Palhinha: “He is happy here. It is the same with players and managers. It is impossible to control what people write.”
Gravenberch has made his preference clear. Speaking to De Telegraaf in June he said: “I just want to play more, preferably at Bayern Munich. And otherwise at a club where I play 100 per cent. That is my preference.
“Because I don't want to have another year like the one I've had now. One season like that is good, I really learned a lot. But I just want to play football.”