Reds defender knows Liverpool’s youthful talent well; £17 million might close the deal.
According to reports from Germany, Liverpool, along with several other clubs, are interested in a promising young player. SportBILD claims that Liverpool is part of a group of teams interested in Mainz forward Brajan Gruda. Other clubs, including Aston Villa, Newcastle, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, are also interested. The report suggests that Mainz may be willing to sell Gruda for around €20m (£17m). Sepp van den Berg, who played alongside Gruda while on loan at Mainz from Liverpool during the 2023/24 season, could provide insider information on the player.
The German under-21 international contributed to seven goals, two of which occurred on the final day of the Bundesliga last weekend in a 3-1 victory against Wolfsburg, securing his team’s position in the top flight for the next season. He had been at risk of being relegated before the match.
Mainly playing as a number 10 but also capable of playing on the right wing or as a center-forward, the 19-year-old excels in one-on-one situations. According to FBref, he is among the top 9% of players in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for progressive carries per game (5.48) and in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 with an impressive 3.78.
Moving from the lower half of the Bundesliga with Mainz to competing at the top of the Premier League with Liverpool would be a significant leap for Gruda. At Anfield, he would likely be seen as a long-term investment rather than someone expected to have an immediate impact.
It may require a compelling argument from Liverpool to convince the teenager to join, especially considering Leverkusen is reportedly a ‘very interesting’ option for him (SportBILD). However, perhaps Van den Berg can provide a positive reference to Liverpool’s decision-makers.