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Bayern Munich was not happy this summer when it missed out on signing Florian Wirtz. But the Bundesliga giant should perhaps have an equally big bone to pick with Liverpool.
In selling Ryan Gravenberch to the Reds for a fee of only around $46 million (£35 million), it made a huge mistake. And Arne Slot has now unlocked another level in the Dutchman's game with a tactical tweak.
"This season, we have more freedom in the midfield," Gravenberch explained on TNT Sports. "Last season, I was only on the six, like deep, deep. Now I can go more forward, which you saw today.
"My strength is also there. I’m happy with that and also happy with the goal. Last season, I think I didn’t even score. So, of course this season I want more goals and assists. I’m really happy with today."
Alongside Alexis Mac Allister in the center of the field, Gravenberch and the Argentine can work together to cover the spaces. In front, Dominik Szoboszlai — or Wirtz, when he is fully up to speed — can roam.
Between them, they have the intelligence to know when to break forward and when to sit, though the perfect balance is still being worked out.
"I think this is the evolution of a team," Slot said in his post-match press conference. "You constantly try to do different things. You try to keep what's really good but other teams try to adjust to us as well, so we need to constantly evolve.
"And apart from that, we have different players now than we had last season, so sometimes you adjust a little bit also by the quality of the players you have now compared to the ones we had last season.
"I wouldn't say [he has] freedom but he has the moments that he can help the attack — but that has a lot to do with the way the other team presses. He has a bit more freedom."
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"Not just this season, he's been playing like that from the moment last season started," Virgil van Dijk told reporters. "He's unbelievable. He's very important to the way we play.
"For me personally, you see the amount of times I try to look for him. It benefits him, me and the team. He's in incredible shape. He's in the form of his life.
"He has to keep going. He's still young. The expectation level will always be right up there and that's what he has to try to reach every three or four days. It's a nice challenge."
Right now, there is no better player in the Premier League. Last season's PFA Young Player of the Year has found another level to his game.
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