Ryan Gravenberch did not train with Bayern Munich today as the Manchester United linked midfielder closes in on a potential £30 million move to Premier League rivals Liverpool.
It might not quite be a case of ‘Sofyan Amrabat or nothing’ for Manchester United. But, with just over 24 hours remaining in the window, it’s not far off.
With Atletico Madrid resuming talks with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and with Liverpool closing in on Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, the options available to Erik ten Hag are becoming increasingly scarce.
Liverpool lead Manchester United for Ryan Gravenberch
Fabrizio Romano reported just over a week ago that Manchester United had contacted Bayern Munich to enquire about Gravenberch’s availability. But so did Liverpool.
And, given that Jurgen Klopp is not being asked to balance on the sort of piano-wire Financial Fair Play tightrope Ten Hag finds himself wobbling across, a potential £30 million deal – one that looks beyond Manchester United at the present moment – may be within Liverpool’s reach.
According to BILD, Gravenberch was absent from training on Thursday. Liverpool have emerged as the clear frontrunners too; Romano adding that the Reds have told Bayern that they are ready to make an official bid.
Should Gravenberch end up at Anfield, that will only raise the pressure further on Man United’s shoulders as Ten Hag looks to reunite with a midfielder who played under him at FC Utrecht rather than one who tasted Eredivisie glory at Ajax.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loans, releases, youth for 2023/24
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Romano rubbishes Sofyan Amrabat claims
“I’m told that Man Utd didn’t send any loan deal bid to Fiorentina. There have been so many rumours about that,” Romano explains via his YouTube channel, rebuffing suggestions that the Old Trafford giants submitted a derisory two million offer on Wednesday.
“The only thing that happened is that Man Utd, through intermediaries, had conversations with Fiorentina. That’s what happened. They didn’t send a loan bid or anything like that.
“In this conversation, Fiorentina told Manchester United that they could be open to a loan move but only with a guaranteed obligation-to-buy clause. So, Fiorentina want a permanent transfer for Amrabat.
“So it’s now on Man Utd. But it’s not that Man Utd made an offer for 2 million euros to be paid in two instalments. This is something that’s been denied to me on all sides of this story.”