Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is facing a backlash for withdrawing from the Netherlands Under-21s squad.
Last week, Gravenberch completed a transfer from Bayern Munich to Anfield, ending a frustrating one-year stint at the Allianz Arena where his game time was restricted.
Having sealed a £34m switch to the Premier League giants, the 21-year-old is expected to be presented with regular opportunities to kick-start his career.
In order to give himself the best chance of hitting the ground running on Merseyside, Gravenberch has taken the decision to pull out of the Netherlands Under-21s squad for their upcoming fixtures with Moldova and North Macedonia.
As a player with 11 senior caps to his name, Gravenberch may not have expected to be selected for that particular squad, even with it granting him a chance to get minutes under his belt.
© Reuters
However, opting to remove himself from the Under-21 setup has not gone down well with Ronald Koeman, manager of the senior squad, and Under-21s assistant Michael Reiziger.
Koeman is quoted as saying: "Nigel (De Jong, Netherlands assistant) has spoken to him. We are not happy with cancellations at the Dutch juniors, we believe that he should always be available.
"But within the KNVB we have said that he is not available for this period. That is your duty as a player, to play for any team."
Reiziger, who would have anticipated working directly with Gravenberch, added to VI: "I don't think it's a good decision, I told him that. I really don't think it's good.
© Reuters
"For a national team, for your country, you have to play with your heart. Not with your head. So you really have to want to be there. That is just important to me.
"He has made his decision to stay in Liverpool to acclimatise. I know Ryan, he is a good and likeable boy, but he made the wrong choice here."
Gravenberch played the full 90 minutes in each of Netherlands Under-21s' fixtures at the European Championship during the summer, his nation failing to progress from the group stage.
In sharp contrast, he has played just one minute with the senior squad since the beginning of 2022, with that coming in a UEFA Nations League fixture with Belgium in September.
