Van Dijk on Gravenberch: "He Is a World Class Player"

01/27/2025 11:00 AM

Liverpool's captain was full of praise for breakout six star Ryan Gravenberch.

That the two Liverpool players who have logged the most minutes for the club so far this season are Virgil van Dijk with 2,700 minutes logged to date and Mohamed Salah with 2,690 certainly wouldn't have surprised anybody at the start of it.

That it's Ryan Gravenberch who stands third at 2,574 on the other hand probably isn't what most would have expected. Now, though, the idea of a starting eleven without the standout 22-year-old who has in fact started all 22 Premier League games so far in 2024-25 is nigh on unthinkable.

"Last year he didn't play as much but we all saw his quality" said Liverpool captain Van Dijk of his teammate at the club and international level. "This year he has got the trust and the confidence. He can show his quality week in, week out, every few days.

"I am very impressed with him. Not only on the pitch but outside the pitch as well. The consistency he is showing, he is a world class player and he can only get better. He learns from difficult moments in games. He has been almost flawless this season. I am proud of him. He is vital for us."

Vital in a six role he didn't play at Bayern Munich and wasn't projected to when he joined the Reds in 2023 with most expecting him to be in the mix as an eight, though he did at times play a more holding role at Ajax when breaking though in the Dutch league.

He may, though, finally get a game off when Liverpool head to his homeland to take on PSV in the final league phase Champions League game, with the Reds assured of finishing top two and the top slots interchangeable when it comes to potential Round of 16 opponents.

If he does get a mid-week rest, though, he'll be right back into the thick of it when Liverpool travel to face in-form Bournemouth in Premier League action on Saturday, and if the Reds do go on to lift major silverware this season he will have played a massive part in it.