Ryan Gravenberch reveals Sadio Mane advice before deciding to join Liverpool in 2023

Liverpool’s transfer window of 2022 was perhaps the worst in the club’s recent history.

Of the three players the Reds brought in, only one of them – Darwin Nunez – is currently at the club. And even then, the former Benfica man has had a mixed time at Anfield.

Not only did they buy poorly, though, Liverpool also lost legendary winger Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.

Granted, Mane was on decline when he left, with the then 30-year-old not quite himself in the 18 months or so prior to his exit. But Liverpool were roundly criticised for selling Mane anyway.

In the end, though, things turned out for the best. Mane went on to flop at Bayern and was on his way to Saudi Arabia just one year later.

But before he left Germany, it turns out that agent Sadio did what he could to convince Ryan Gravenberch that his future lay at Liverpool.

Ryan Gravenberch reveals Sadio Mane advice

If Liverpool had a poor window in 2022, then Bayern’s was a disaster. The German record champions signed Mane, Gravenberch, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Yann Sommer, Daley Blind and Mathys Tel.

Fast forward two-and-a-half years and not a single one of those players remains at the Allianz Arena.

That has been all the better for Liverpool. After Bayern mishandled Gravenberch, the Dutchman sought an exit. And following a year of adaptation at Anfield, he is one of the Reds most important players.

According to Gravenberch himself, though, Mane deserves at least a little of the credit in getting him to Merseyside.

READ MORE: Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch compared to Steven Gerrard after ‘Hollywood’ moment vs Bournemouth

“Sadio is a really nice guy,” Gravenberch told LFCTV on Mane. “When I was in Munich, I asked him also about Liverpool, if it’s like a good step for me and how the club was and everything.

“He said a lot of good things. So, in my head I was like, ‘I have to go!’”

Gravenberch praises Anfield atmosphere

Gravenberch was speaking to LFCTV as part of the ‘A Day With…’ series, which follows one of the Liverpool squad and visits them at home.

With the Liverpool midfielder sitting to discuss his experience with the Reds so far, he touched on how it feels for him to play at a packed Anfield.

“When you hear You’ll Never Walk Alone, sometimes I sing with them when I’m on the pitch!” says Gravenberch.

“The love they have for the club. It doesn’t matter what you do, if you make a tackle or give a nice pass, you will hear crazy stuff. You get energy.

“For example the game against Brighton [in November]. The first-half we were not that good and then the second-half, the noise… If you press and you win the ball, woah.”