On the day Arne Slot took the helm at Liverpool, replacing the legendary Jurgen Klopp, a bombshell request was made by a Liverpool player seeking an exit from the club.
This revelation came during a candid interview on Slot’s inaugural day as the new manager after his departure from Feyenoord.
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Arne Slot, 45, is set to embark on a challenging summer, tasked with imparting his strategic vision and playing philosophy to the squad.
However, his efforts may be complicated by the absence of several key players who will be participating in Euro 2024 and the Copa America, missing a significant portion of the pre-season.
In contrast, Sepp van den Berg, the young defender who has returned from a loan spell at Mainz in the Bundesliga, will be fully available for the pre-season preparations.
Van den Berg, 22, moved to Liverpool from PEC Zwolle in 2019 and has since featured in four cup matches for the Reds, though he awaits his Premier League debut.
Reports from The Athletic suggest that Liverpool is open to transferring Van den Berg during the summer transfer window, setting a valuation of £20 million for the Dutch defender.
In a forthright interview with De Telegraaf, Van den Berg expressed his dissatisfaction with the club’s valuation and hinted at his desire to seek new opportunities away from Anfield, signaling a potential end to his tenure with the Reds.
He said: “I knew that I couldn’t get from PEC Zwolle to Liverpool’s first team. I could have been at Liverpool for one or two more years, but I wanted to play with all my might.
“I demanded to be [loaned] out. Every time, because I felt that I was getting better and better. I also made great strides physically.”
Sepp van den Berg’s tenure at Preston North End, which spanned 18 months starting from January 2021, saw him adapt to various defensive roles.
Initially deployed as a right-back during Alex Neil’s management, he later transitioned to the right side of a three-man central defence under the guidance of Frankie McAvoy and subsequently Ryan Lowe.
Throughout his 66 appearances with the Championship club, Van den Berg developed a sense of preparedness and confidence, believing himself to be ‘ready’ for the challenges of playing for Liverpool.
“I had a good conversation with the management. He said, he had received good reports. I understood that I wasn’t going to play Van Dijk, Matip or Konate out [of the team]. But I thought I could be right behind it.
“When I didn’t get a chance again, I said: ‘Figure it out, I want to leave. You [Liverpool] didn’t exude confidence in me all this time, but you do want to hinder my future’.
“I want to keep playing every week and develop myself further. In Germany, I enjoy Dortmund away with 70,000 people, Bayern Munich away against Harry Kane. Stuttgart, Leipzig, Leverkusen – against clubs like that I am challenged every week.”
It appears clearly that Van den Berg will be leaving Liverpool this summer unless Slot decides to give him a chance in the club’s first team.
