Ryan Gravenberch signing has left Klopp with big Liverpool decision to make in the next 12 hours
While Liverpool fans and Jurgen Klopp will have been delighted to secure the signing of Ryan Gravenberch on Friday night, the deal has left the manger with precious little time to make a potentially crucial call which could affect much of the Reds’ season.As per Liverpool Echo, the 32 clubs participating in the Europa League […]
The post Ryan Gravenberch signing has left Klopp with big Liverpool decision to make in the next 12 hours appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.
While Liverpool fans and Jurgen Klopp will have been delighted to secure the signing of Ryan Gravenberch on Friday night, the deal has left the manger with precious little time to make a potentially crucial call which could affect much of the Reds’ season.
As per Liverpool Echo, the 32 clubs participating in the Europa League group stage have until 11pm GMT tonight to submit their squads for that phase of the competition.
As we explored previously, UEFA rules require participating teams to include a maximum of 17 overseas players among the permissible roster of 25 they’re permitted, with the remaining slots given over to those who are considered club-trained or association-trained.
Players born in 2002 or later who’ve been eligible for that club for at least two years uninterrupted (or three years with a maximum of one loan spell elsewhere lasting no more than 12 months) can qualify for ‘List B’ and don’t have to be included among the main 25-man squad.
However, with Gravenberch only joining in the last 48 hours, he doesn’t qualify for that criterion despite still being only 21, which means he’ll have to take the last remaining overseas slot in order to feature for Liverpool in the Europa League.
If he does, it could see Ben Doak become the fall guy. Even with the Scottish forward not turning 18 until November, he only joined from Celtic last year and therefore isn’t eligible for List B classification, so he too would need to be regarded as an overseas player.
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Having made a massive impression in pre-season, it seemed that the 17-year-old was primed to get game-time in Europe prior to Christmas, but the additions of Wataru Endo and Gravenberch in the last month could possibly put his place at risk.
However, Klopp could potentially include Doak along with the Dutchman if he opts to leave out Adrian, go with Alisson and Caoimhin Kelleher as his senior goalkeepers (the latter qualifies as club-trained) and either use Vitezslav Jaros (also club-trained) or Marcelo Pitaluga (List B) as his third-choice stopper.
With the Spaniard having not played for Liverpool since the 2022 Community Shield (Transfermarkt), he might seem like the most logical overseas player to omit, but that could be risky if either of the Reds’ two main ‘keepers were to be unavailable through injury or suspension.
Every scenario ultimately leaves Klopp with a big call to make as to who’s sacrificed from the 17 overseas players, and precious little time to make it. As ever, though, we trust the manager to arrive at the best decision for the squad as a whole.
#Ep88 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones
The post Ryan Gravenberch signing has left Klopp with big Liverpool decision to make in the next 12 hours appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.