Liverpool defender set for transfer as critical season awaits after injury nightmare
Sepp van den Berg is set to join Mainz on loan from Liverpool.
The Netherlands Under-21s international has flown to Germany to complete the temporary switch, which will see him spend the 2023/24 season with the Bundesliga club. The ECHO understands the move is just a straight loan to give the centre-back, who was pictured back at the AXA Training Centre earlier this week, further first team experience, and contains no option to make the transfer permanently.
The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Schalke, having spent the previous 18 months with Preston North End, but was limited to just nine appearances because of injury. Sustaining ligament damage which forced him off in only his fourth appearance for the club against Augsburg last October, Van den Berg actually scored when making his comeback against Werder Bremen in April.
Despite Schalke recording a 2-1 victory that day, they picked up just one point from their final three games of the season as they suffered relegation. In contrast, Mainz, who Reds boss Jurgen Klopp memorably both played for and managed, secured a comfortable ninth-place finish.
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Van den Berg joined Liverpool from PEC Zwolle as a 17-year-old, signing for an initial £1.3m, which could rise to £4.4m with add-ons, in July 2019, having made 23 appearances for the Eredivisie club. Making his debut as a substitute against MK Dons in the League Cup, he played four times for Klopp’s side during his first season for the club.
However, he hasn’t played a competitive game for the Reds since
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