Hasnt he flopped at Bayern? Isnt he…injured?
I’d rather bring back Kevin Stewart or buy Conor Coady to play him in midfield.
1 Like
Gravenberch has bags of potential, but only 20 years old so while he may have struggled at Bayern, he’s probably too young to be written off as a flop.
At the same time, he’s only 20, and Bellingham 19. I’d have some concerns if we bought just two midfielders of this age to be the mainstay of our midfield alongside Elliott next season.
Not saying that will be the case, rumour may well not be true, but if so, I’d be hoping for three midfielders in the summer.
2 Likes
Aye, he deserves better than that which is why we should be taking a punt…he can be that guy to fire us back into the CL for next season, have a bad feeling we’re gonna miss a trick with this 1 though. 
Think he only started twice plus some when he came in late. Missed two matches due to an injury
Just seen this report from last month. Not sure if it was picked up at the time and no idea of the reliability of the journo,
The interesting bit for me is this:
“His name has been mentioned more often by those responsible, (there is no concrete interest yet) but the situation is being examined and they have already contacted Gravenberch’s people to ask about him, what type of person he is.
Which sounds very much like something we might do.
Sounds like he might be on our list of alternatives if we can’t pull off the likes of Bellingham or Nunes (in Gravenberch’s case, maybe more the latter). Maybe being on our list, even lower, gets to the media like “we’re getting the guy”. Or could be also old information, that we were interested in him (either when he was at Ajax or maybe on loan from Bayern), but not anymore.
1 Like
I get what you’re saying but if we compare him to the 24 year old Nunes he’s played around the same amount of games. Same with Kone and Thuram. He’s also played around double the amount Caicedo has.
I’d love a Declan Rice type to come in but if we get Bellingham then a younger ‘project’ player is more likely.
I wonder how much Bayern Munich would want?
Gravenberch ticks a lot of boxes in his attributes and has a very high ceiling, but he is still relatively unproven.
If it is Bellingham and Gravenberch, I half wonder if we need a third midfielder to do the 6 role?
Or maybe we will spread the load between the older players, and an upcoming Bajcetic?
Interesting summer ahead.
Yep.
We’ve seen that, even between them, Hendo/Thaigo/Fab can’t be relied upon to fill this role. With AOC, Keita, Milner and one of these three (Fab seems most likely) to go we need 3 first team ready replacements. And probably another 2 next summer. Our recruitment has been negligent here over the last 12 months
1 Like
You may be right, but it’s hard to see us recruiting more than two midfielders in one window.
3 Likes
As Jose said to him directly…
“I always have to tell you what I think. Maybe inside you you tell me to f*** off, but I have to tell you exactly what I think,” Mourinho said to Alli, who sat facing the coach, looking uninterested.
"From the beginning, I had no doubts about your potential. I’ve seen you play incredible games and do incredible things, but I’ve always noticed that you have ups and downs.
"There’s a big difference from a player who stays consistent and a player who has moments and that’s what makes the difference between a top, top player and a player with great potential.
"It’s something that you don’t have to share with me, but it’s something for you to analyse yourself and realise why your career has been good… OK, from MK Dons to the national team. Bang! You get to the top and then…
"Why you have those ups and downs in your career, I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s because of your lifestyle, if in one period you’re a great professional and in another period you’re a party animal? I don’t know, I have no idea. Only you know.
"I’m 56 years old now and yesterday - yesterday! yesterday! I was 20. Time flies. And one day you’ll regret it, I think, if you don’t achieve what you can achieve.
"I don’t expect you to be man of the match every game or to score in every game. I just want to tell you that you will regret it.
“You should demand more of yourself, not me demand more of you, not me. Not anyone. You. You have to demand more from yourself.”
2 Likes
That was all for the cameras. I wonder what he would actually have said to him privately
There’s no way we’re getting three starting midfielders in one window.
Ox, Keita and Milner are off. Bajetic takes the place of one of them, two new ones come in.
New
New
Fabinho
Thiago
Henderson
Elliott
Jones
Bajetic
That’s eight for three starting spots and two or three bench spots. We might even have Morton about the place too. You’re hoping the new lads don’t have the same injury frequency as some we’ve had and that lessens the strain put on Thiago and Henderson so they get injury less frequently, and hey, maybe even Fabinho doesn’t need to play every game too. Perhaps that might help him recover some form and fitness.
Actively pushing to sell Fabinho this summer just adds yet another hole to fill and we aren’t going to get huge money for him given his form this season. Far more likely we do two this summer and then at least one next summer, possibly two if both Thiago and Fabinho are moved on then.
4 Likes
Elliott is not a midfielder.
1 Like
Still 7 for 3 maybe even 2 positions if Elliott plays further forward.
1 Like
Well yeah, but he is absolutely shite. One of the worst midfielders in the league.
Move him on and get him replaced. What’s the point of keeping him around when he clearly isn’t good enough? Because 3 is more players to sign than 2?
1 Like
Who’s going to buy him?
1 Like
Loads of clubs buy rubbish for silly money.
1 Like
He’s been over played and run into the ground. He needs a break, some younger legs around him and the system to stop leaving him woefully exposed. He’s not one of the worst midfielders in the league at all. You don’t go from great to one of the worst in the space of a season. And if we’re judging players on this season alone then we should probably sell everyone bar Alisson, Konate, Nunez, Gakpo and Bajetic.
I can’t believe how quick people are to bin off a good player experiencing a patch of bad form. It’s like United fans who were happy to chase Rashford out the door because he “wasn’t focussed on football”. Where would they be without him this season?
And if he’s one of the worst in the league, who is buying him for a fee that makes it worth selling him?
3 Likes