Liverpool are poised to land midfielder Ryan Gravenberch on transfer deadline day - and land the Netherlands international ahead of late interest from fierce rivals Manchester United.
The 21-year-old has flown to the UK this morning on transfer deadline day from Germany after Liverpool agreed a deal worth around an initial £34 million with Bayern Munich.
He has been at the German giants since last summer after moving to the Allianz Arena from Dutch side Ajax but looks set to head to the Premier League after only a year in Bavaria.
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Gravenberch is set to join a new-look Liverpool midfield assembled with players who have all been signed in the past few months, linking up with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo as a quartet of new recruits.
But Liverpool are not the only club which has needed central midfield reinforcements this summer - as fierce rivals Manchester United also need players in the engine room.
Erik ten Hag's side have sold Fred this summer and have recently lost Mason Mount due to injury, with the Old Trafford side heavily linked with a move for Fiorentina's Morocco international Sofyan Amrabat.
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United have been so keen to add central midfield reinforcements that they themselves are said to have made a late approach for Gravenberch, in a bid to not only add to their squad but also steal a match on their fierce rivals.
But Liverpool have been pursuing Gravenberch for some time now, as Sunday Times football correspondent Jonathan Northcroft has highlighted.
Jurgen Klopp's side have been chasing the midfielder since April and that long-standing interest has meant that Gravenberch has only wanted to sign for the Anfield outfit.
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Northcroft reports that Liverpool boss Klopp made a "powerful pitch" to Gravenberch and the five-year contract on offer highlights the worth they hold the midfielder in.
United, in contrast, came in "late" for Gravenberch and were "less clear" regarding the midfielder, thus helping to ensure that the midfielder wanted to move to Anfield rather than Old Trafford.
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Liverpool Transfer News & Rumours, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Ryan Gravenberch, Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours