Ryan Gravenberch has been sent home from the Netherlands squad due to an injury picked up over the weekend, ruling him out of the forthcoming Nations League fixtures against Spain. The midfielder has had an impressive season with Liverpool, but like several others in Arne Slot‘s team, his form has dipped recently. He has completed a full match only once in Liverpool‘s last five games, including the Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle on Sunday and the Champions League journey to Paris.
A mainstay in Slot’s lineup, the ex-Bayern Munich ace has been in the starting 11 for every Premier League game this term, and this constant demand might be a factor in his recent performance slump, along with a new injury concern.
After joining the Netherlands camp on Monday, Gravenberch departed on Wednesday evening. The Dutch FA released a statement saying: “Ryan Gravenberch has left the Oranje’s training camp this evening. The midfielder is still suffering from an injury sustained over the weekend that prevents him from playing in the matches against Spain. Take care, Ryan.”
Liverpool will be hoping that the injury is not too serious and that he will be fit for the club’s next match against Everton on 2 April. Traditionally a box-to-box midfielder, Slot has successfully transformed Gravenberch into a skilled defensive midfielder this season.
His partnership with Alexis Mac Allister has often been the foundation of Liverpool‘s impressive performances this season.
The Dutchman featured in all of his country’s Nations League matches earlier this season, and the Netherlands are set to face Spain in a two-legged qualifier for the finals in either Italy or Germany this summer.
Since joining from Bayern in the summer of 2023, along with midfield partners Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, Gravenberch has made 79 appearances for the club and is on track to earn a fifth league winners’ medal in his young career.
This article first appeared on Liverpool.com.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk