BAYERN MUNICH boss Thomas Tuchel is set to block Liverpool from signing Ryan Gravenberch, according to reports.
The Reds are supposedly in the market for a midfielder this summer with the likes of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of contract at the end of the season.
Gravenberch is reportedly a target for Liverpool in a £25million move, but the deal is set to be blocked by Tuchel.
The new boss is keen to hand all his players a chance to prove themselves at the club.
Gravenberch was signed by Bayern last summer from Ajax for a fee of £16million.
However, he failed to establish himself under previous boss Julian Nagelsmann, starting just four games this season.
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Journalist Ben Jacobs reports that Liverpool’s move for the 20-year-old “just can’t happen right now”.
He says: “Gravenberch didn’t enjoy playing under Nagelsmann.
“Now that Nagelsmann has gone, Tuchel will give everybody a fair chance.
“Gravenberch is a phenomenal talent, has got physicality, intelligence and dynamism.
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“But he just needs shaping a little bit to understand that game management. That will come with age and experience.
“Therefore, Tuchel will absolutely give him a fair chance. And because there’s so little time left in the season, that is likely to extend into the pre-season as well.
“That means that links with Liverpool coming back in are very much premature at this stage.
“Unless there’s a scenario where the player is really saying he’s unhappy and driving that exit, I just don’t think he will leave.
“And when you get a new manager coming in, it will be the opposite with Gravenberch.
“He’ll be looking to make a statement and prove to Tuchel that he’s worthy of playing, starting and contributing.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk