Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has argued he is enjoying his battle for minutes in the German capital.
Few midfielders in world football were as highly rated as Gravenberch when he made his £20m move from Ajax to Bayern in the summer of 2022, but his spell in Munich has not exactly gone to plan.
Indeed, the 20-year-old has managed just one start in the Bundesliga, and none of his 17 appearances in the competition have lasted longer than 45 minutes.
“I had certainly hoped and also expected that I would play more at Bayern,” Gravenberch told Ajax Showtime. “It’s a shame for me, but I’m handling it well.
“In my career, I’ve actually never had a setback until this season. I was always a great talent and joined the Ajax first team at a young age. For me, this is the only season in which I’m having a hard time and have little time to play.
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“As a player, you also get better from such experiences. I’m still very young and I’m glad I’m experiencing something like this now instead of later in my career. I am mentally strong and making even better steps in this situation because of this situation. This is how I try to turn this experience into something positive.”
Gravenberch did, however, go on to confess that he may be forced to leave Bayern further down the line if he cannot find more minutes.
“I’d prefer to succeed at Bayern,” he insisted. “But if that doesn’t work out and I don’t get any opportunities, then maybe I should look elsewhere.
“At the moment, however, I am not so concerned with that and I hope that I can change my situation at Bayern by training and playing well.”
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