Ryan Gravenberch has confirmed that negotiations over a new contract with Ajax have stopped amid transfer links with Manchester United.
The 19-year-old has been reportedly been scouted by the Red Devils, while Liverpool are also said to be interested. But Bayern Munich made the first move this week, tabling a bid to sign the highly rated Gravenberch, whose contract expires in June 2023, during the summer window. The midfielder has been coveted across Europe since his breakthrough aged just 16 and has now directly responded to the interest.
"The contract negotiations have now been stopped," Gravenberch told NOS, via Goal, after entering the final 15 months of his deal and approaching 100 appearances for Ajax. "I just have one more year of contract now and that's it, really. We'll see. My father and agent are very busy with [handling other clubs] while I focus on football.
"Of course [I've seen the Bayern interest]. You can read it everywhere, so there is interest from Bayern, but I think there are several clubs. I have no idea [what I'm worth], I have no idea. But if you're worth €25million (Bayern's reported bid), you can be proud because it's a lot of money, of course."
The Athletic report that Gravenberch - represented by super agent Mino Raiola - is a target for United, although would prefer a move to Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern. The German giants' recent offer is believed to have not yet been accepted or rejected by Ajax, with Bayern hoping to earn the starlet's signature and win the transfer race.
And while Gravenberch boasts 10 caps for the Netherlands, the Dutchman was recently omitted from Louis van Gaal 's squad following a dip in form for Ajax, who are now out of the Champions League, under manager Erik ten Hag. The acclaimed coach is also expected to leave the club this summer and is notably a frontrunner to replace Red Devils interim boss Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford.
A confident Gravenberch, however, disagrees with Van Gaal's decision, adding: "A lesser phase? I don't want to see it that way. Before the winter break I didn't play such very good games, but after the winter it really only went up. Then the team does well and you have to fight yourself back into the team, I just did that in the end. So I don't agree with that so much."
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The 6ft 2in playmaker has scored two goals and registered five assists this season from 26 Eredivisie appearances, just one fewer than his tally of eight direct goal contributions throughout the entirety of the last league campaign, which was capped by two appearances for the Netherlands at Euro 2020.
Back in February, Gravenberch stated that he would not leave Ajax on a free transfer, lending credence to the notion of a departure this summer. "It is up to my agent and my father," he told Algemeen Dagblad. "What I do know for sure is that I will not leave if Ajax does not earn anything from me. I have played here all my youth.
"Ajax has always been good to me. I owe a lot to the club. Then I cannot leave on a free transfer. That will not happen. It's not bad to step out of your comfort zone. A different competition, different football, different life, different people around you. But that could also be done at 22, for example."
