Ryan Gravenberch in action for Ajax. (imago Images)
According to Fichajes (h/t Football London), Chelsea is among a host of clubs keeping close tabs on 19-year-old Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.
The young Dutchman came through the ranks at the Dutch giants and is now an established player in their senior side. His performances have not gone unnoticed with the likes of Barcelona and Juventus also showing interest in securing his services.
Despite his age, Gravenberch already has 71 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals and eight assists in the process. He is also a full international for the Dutch national side, winning seven caps while scoring once.
The Blues already have a decent variety of midfielders to choose from in Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, and Jorginho. Saul Niguez recently came to Stamford Bridge on a loan deal but it remains to be seen if he will impress enough for the Londoners to make the deal permanent.
While we certainly do have options, each player also has his own pitfall. Kante is not getting any younger while Jorginho’s lack of pace at times is an Achilles heel. Kovacic is excellent on his day but lacks the dynamism going forward or while connecting the attack to the defence. Saul, meanwhile, is yet to impress.
Securing Gravenberch will land the Blues a premium talent who could be a mainstay for them in the years to come. The youngster is a hot prospect in Europe and it could take as much as €75million (£64m) to sign him. While it is not cheap by any means, the youngster’s potential makes up for it.
Should any such move take place, Gravenberch would have a fight on his hands to secure his place in a star-studded team. It could also mean a significant reduction in the teenager’s game time but if he plays to his potential, he will make his mark sooner or later.
Chelsea have signed a number of Europe’s top young talents in recent times such as Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell. Whether Gravenberch will join that list remains to be seen.
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