Bayern Munich have reportedly made the first move in the race to sign Real Madrid, Manchester United target Ryan Gravenberch.
According to Goal, Bayern Munich have lodged a €25 million bid to secure the services of Ryan Gravenberch. The Ajax youngster is rated highly by the Bavarian outfit, with the club prepared to snap him away from Amsterdam in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Real Madrid and Manchester United are the other two clubs interested in Gravenberch. But it appears Bayern have made the first move, hoping their €25 million offer will be enough to seal the deal, even though Ajax rate their youngster at around €35 million.
Local reports in Germany suggest Gravenberch himself is keen on playing for Bayern, which could be a deciding factor behind the transfer. Nevertheless, the Bavarians moving ahead with their interest does not bode well for either of the two other clubs involved in the chase.
Manchester United, for one, have been tracking the progress of the 19-year-old for a while. The talented Dutchman was the club’s ideal choice to replace Paul Pogba, who is expected to depart from Old Trafford, following the end of his contract this summer.
Real Madrid, too, have been keeping tabs on Gravenberch for a long time. It is no secret that Los Blancos are in the market for new midfielders in the summer as each one of their reliable midfield trifecta of Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric are in the final phases of their respective careers.
Although Real Madrid did bring in the exciting Eduardo Camavinga last summer, there is certainly a dearth of long-term options. An attack-minded midfielder in Gravenberch, to that end, could have given Carlo Ancelotti an ideal avenue to replace the ageing Modric, who is still going strong at 36.
However, it appears the Ajax youngster could be on the verge of joining Bayern Munich. Their coach Julian Nagelsmann is likely targeting the youngster as a potential replacement for Corentin Tolisso, who has been linked with a move to Premier League in the past.
While it remains undecided whether Ajax will accept Bayern’s €25 million bid, it will be interesting to see if Manchester United or Real Madrid plan to table a better offer in an attempt to hijack the deal. With a chunk of the season remaining, only time will what the future holds for the talented Dutchman next season.
