Ryan Gravenberch Exiled from Netherlands Setup Despite Outstanding Liverpool Form

Ryan Gravenberch has been left out of the Netherlands squad for the November international break, despite his outstanding form for Liverpool since his £38.5 million move from Bayern Munich.

The 21-year-old midfielder has not been involved for the Netherlands since his move to Liverpool at the end of the summer transfer window, having turned down a call-up for the U21s to focus on settling at his new club and find his feet in a new country.

This angered the Dutch FA, including senior manager Ronald Koeman and U21s counterpart Michael Reiziger, with it confirmed that he was dropped for October internationals as punishment. “It was not an option to call him up now. The signal has now been sent to him,” Reiziger explained.

Gravenberch’s exile continues into November, with the Liverpool midfielder not included in the provisional squad for either the Netherlands senior or U21s teams.

Koeman’s Senior Side Face Final Euro 2024 Qualifiers

Koeman’s senior side face the Republic of Ireland (Nov 18) and Gibraltar (Nov 21) in their final qualifiers for Euro 2024, with their place at the tournament not yet secured.

Meanwhile, the U21s will play Gibraltar (Nov 16) and Sweden (Nov 20) with an opportunity to qualify for the U21 Euros early.

Gravenberch Finding His Feet at Liverpool

It is clear that Gravenberch has been left in exile due to his understandable decision to channel his energies on Liverpool – and the reaction is baffling.

After a year effectively wasted at Bayern Munich, the midfielder is finding his form again under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool – undoubtedly boosted by those early weeks in training – which should benefit his country.

On Thursday night, the No. 38 scored his second goal for the club in an outstanding performance as the Reds beat Toulouse 5-1 in the Europa League.

So far, Gravenberch has played nine games for Liverpool, starting five of those, with two goals and two assists in 417 minutes of football.

Van Dijk Named in Squad Despite Injury

Virgil van Dijk, captain of his country, is named in the senior squad, and though Cody Gakpo has been left out of the provisional group, Koeman has already suggested he could receive a late call-up.

Conclusion

It is difficult to understand why Gravenberch has been left out of the Netherlands setup when he is clearly performing well for Liverpool. His exile sends a message that loyalty to the national team is more important than performance, which could have a negative impact on future players.

Gravenberch’s form should be rewarded with a call-up, and it is hoped that he will be included in future squads so that he can continue to develop and help his country reach their goals.