Papa please preach? Ryan Gravenberch’s dad praises Bayern Munich’s squad planning versus Real Madrid, PSG

Ryan Gravenberch arrives at Bayern Munich as one of Europe’s most coveted wonderkids of the last few years. According to his father, confidence in the club’s squad-building philosophy was key to the decision.

In an interview with Telegraaf (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), his father outlined the starkly different prospects at Bayern versus other top clubs:

“If you look at PSG, Manchester City or Real Madrid, they buy 15 players when they already have a squad of 40 names to choose from. They just look at who stands out, and for the others, it’s a pity,” said the elder Gravenberch. “Bayern only make a maximum of three, four or five targeted signings. They are players that they really invest in. That clearly played a role in Ryan’s choice.”

Gravenberch’s father also drew a favorable comparison to former club Ajax — “both well-structured and solid organizations”, albeit with Bayern “on a larger scale.”

The Dutchman is poised to join a midfield that currently features only Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka as established players, and both are seven years older. It’s clear the club has big plans for him, and he’ll be given every opportunity to hit the ground running.

For Bayern, this represents an attempt to secure the future of their central midfield, and serves as a reminder of the special pull the club still has among Europe’s elite.