Liverpool star valued at £20 million after impressive loan spell, attracts interest from at least 3 European clubs: Reports
Liverpool star Sepp van den Berg is allegedly valued at £20 million following a fine season-long loan spell at Bundesliga outfit FSV Mainz 05.
Van den Berg, 22, turned a lot of heads with his mature performances at the heart of Mainz's backline this campaign. He helped them avoid relegation from the Bundesliga, playing every single minute of their nine-match unbeatean run in the tail end of the season.
A right-footed towering centre-back blessed with marking and passing, Van den Berg started 31 of his 35 appearances across competitions for Mainz. He helped the club register nine overall clean sheets and found the back of the net on three separate occasions.
Now, according to The Athletic, Liverpool have slapped a price tag of around £20 million on Van den Berg ahead of the summer transfer window. Premier League duo Brentford and Southampton are keeping tabs on the player, while VfL Wolfsburg are also in the race.
However, the Merseyside outfit will not arrive at a decision of selling Van den Berg before the end of their pre-season under new head coach Arne Slot. They are said to be aiming to assess the former eight-cap Netherlands international's outings in the coming weeks.
Van den Berg, who joined Liverpool in a potential £4 million deal from PEC Zwolle in 2019, has featured in four games across competitions for the Reds so far. All of his appearances came in the 2019-20 term.
Liverpool star opines on Arne Slot's arrival
During a recent interview with Sky Sports, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was asked if his team would undergo a seamless transition under Arne Slot. He replied (h/t Mirror):
"I hope so. Obviously, I have full trust in the club and all the decisions going forward. It's exciting as well. Change is always a bit in the unknown, but I have got full confidence and am looking forward to the new season already."
Slot, 45, was announced as the Reds' head coach earlier on May 20, a day after Jurgen Klopp's final game in charge of the club. He has signed a three-year contract and will start his tenure on June 1.
Queried whether the Reds could build on this season, Van Dijk replied:
"100 per cent, but success is not guaranteed. That's pretty obvious. We are going to work our socks off in order to make it happen and we have a good coach coming in, a good backroom staff. We are a very good team. Let's see what happens."
Liverpool, who finished fifth last season, achieved a third-placed finish in the 2023-24 Premier League table with 82 points from 38 games. They lifted the EFL Cup trophy and reached the quarter-finals of both the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League this season.