Ryan Gravenberch has revealed how a phone call from Arne Slot helped him establish himself as a key Liverpool player this season.

The 22-year-old has become a mainstay of Slot’s midfield after the Dutchman missed out on Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi this summer after the Spain international opted to stay at his boyhood club.

Gravenberch endured a mixed debut campaign at Anfield following his move from Bayern Munich in August 2023 as he struggled for consistency and found himself in and out of Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI.

However, since Slot took over from the German, Gravenberch has been given a new role and has excelled as the Reds lead the Premier League and Champions League tables.

Gravenberch has played every minute of Liverpool’s 15 league and Champions League matches so far this campaign, making just 21 starts in all competitions last season.

“I actually started playing more defensively” Gravenberch said Football News.

“Last year I advanced more often, but now I have to think more defensively. This change happened quite quickly.

“I have Virgil behind me to help me. If I go too far, he calls me back. “Rio, stay here!” » I notice that he has to call less and less often and that I concentrate more on defense. On offense, I try to read the game. It often works well.

Ryan Gravenberch continued: “The coach called all the players to talk. After the European Championship, he called me to tell him how he saw me. He knew me from my time at Ajax, of course, when he was at AZ and Feyenoord.

“He told me what position he wanted to use me in and he put me at six. I went into it with an open mind. I played a lot when I was eight and when I was younger also when I was six.

“It helps, but now I’m being asked for something else. In my youth, I could move forward. At the time, there was no Virgil that reminded me!

“I didn’t play much at Bayern, but I always knew I was going to win” he said. “I became stronger thanks to this period.

“It was mentally difficult at times, but I learned a lot from it. It’s an experience that I still enjoy today.

“I made my first big transfer and then you think it would be the same there, but it happened completely differently. Fortunately, I lived with my parents in Munich. We had a lot of conversations and they kept me calm.

“Now I can put this behind me. It’s great to play a lot of minutes as a starter again at Liverpool.

“I’m happy of course. It feels good. I just try to do my thing every game. Of course it’s nice when everyone congratulates you, but I have to make sure I’m there for every game. I hope I can continue like this.