Ronald Koeman explains Ryan Gravenberch omission from Netherlands squad

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed that Ryan Gravenberch has not been called up for international duty due to previously dropping out of the squad.

Gravenberch, having signed for Liverpool on transfer deadline day, opted not to represent the Netherlands during the September international break – instead choosing to take time to adapt to his new surrounds in the north west of England.

Having faced criticism from Koeman and other members of the Dutch coaching setup last month, the decision to pull out of international had been rumoured to have led to the decision not to select the Gravenberch for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against France and Greece.

Speaking to the press, the Dutch manager then confirmed the rumours to be true.

“It was not an option to call him up now. The signal has now been sent to him. We have a certain opinion about players who opt out of the Dutch Juniors or Oranje,” Koeman said.

“Moreover, Gravenberch has not played much at Liverpool yet.”

The midfielder has largely been utilised as an option off of the bench by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in the league this season, with Gravenberch playing just 69 minutes of Premier League action since joining the club.

Gravenberch has, however, been a regular start in cup competitions and has impressed in both League Cup and Europa League action, particularly against Union Saint-Gilloise in the latter. In his three starts in these competitions, the 21-year-old has scored a goal and bagged two assists.

While firmly shutting the door on an October call-up, Koeman did insist that he would consider the Liverpool midfielder for future Netherlands squads, provided he gets more gametime at Anfield.

“I hope he will develop further at Liverpool. He is a great talent. If he plays a lot at his club, he is always an option for the Dutch team,” the former Barcelona boss explained.