£20m Liverpool target in ‘flirting mode’ as entourage push for Arsenal meeting after ‘strong pitch’

Arsenal could swoop in ahead of Liverpool to sign Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich this summer, with the Dutch midfielder in ‘flirting mode’.

joined Bayern Munich last summer for around £20m from Ajax, but despite playing 27 times this term across all competitions, he’s only started once in the Bundesliga.

suggest Liverpool are keen on Gravenberch having walked away from talks with Jude Bellingham

And , Sky Sports claimed ‘Gravenberch is enthusiastic over the opportunity to steer his development back on track at Anfield’.

Liverpool have made a ‘strong pitch’ to the player’s hierarchy with the view to signing him this summer.

The midfielder’s agent – Rafaela Pimenta – ‘met with Liverpool at the turn of the year’ and as recently as last week, the Premier League team ‘engaged’ with the player’s father.

The report notes Erik ten Hag ‘made a check on his availability for Manchester United before loaning Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern instead in January’.

At the time Bayern Munich ‘were unwilling to permit a exit’, but this summer they’re ‘open to selling Gravenberch and want to recoup the £20m fee – including add-ons – they agreed for him, as well as a small profit’.

That report is at odds with the claims of Florian Plettenberg, who says Bayern have no intention of parting ways with the midfielder and have informed him as such.

The German club expect Gravenberch to enjoy a breakthrough season in Bavaria next term.

But that’s not stopping Gravenberch entering ‘flirting mode’ according to Fussball Transfers (via Sport Witness).

They claim the 20-year-old’s camp are opening up more options for him in the summer, with Arsenal on that list.

His entourage ‘want to meet’ Mikel Arteta’s side ‘this week’ to discuss the possibility of his transfer.

Gravenberch recently admitted that he could “look elsewhere” if his spell at Bayern Munich does not work out.

“In my career I never really had a setback until this season. I was always a big talent and joined Ajax’s first team at a young age. For me, this season is only the first season in which I’m having a hard time and little game time,” Gravenberch admitted.

“As a player you also get better from such experiences. I am still very young and I’m glad I’m experiencing something like this now instead of experiencing it for the first time later in my career.

“I’d rather succeed at Bayern. But if that doesn’t work out and I don’t get opportunities, then maybe I should look elsewhere.”