Brentford are hoping to sign Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg for more than £20 million, The Pitch Prospect has learned.
Van den Berg has been given permission to discuss personal terms with both the Bees and German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
4
Sources at Anfield assume that the centre-back will opt for Brentford.
Liverpool had rejected an offer from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven for the 22-year-old worth £10 million earlier this summer.
The defender has attracted the attention of numerous clubs, including potential suitors from Germany and the Premier League, such as newly promoted Southampton FC.
Bundesliga club Mainz hoped to bring him back to Germany, where he played on loan last season, but rivals Wolfsburg also showed interest.
From the Bundesliga, champions Bayer Leverkusen have expressed the greatest interest; former Liverpool star Xabi Alonso was impressed by the Dutchman’s skills.
But the lure of the Champions League may not be enough for Van den Berg to turn down a chance at a regular Premier League appearance with the Bees.
The defender is expected to make a decision on his next destination shortly, with Liverpool set to make a hefty profit after paying PEV Zwolle just £4.4 million for his services in 2019.
The club insisted that he would not leave for a low transfer fee, although the Dutchman disagreed with what he considered to be a high valuation.
“I know there will be high transfer fees in today’s market,” Van den Berg said during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the USA.
“For the price they want for me, Liverpool might think it’s right as I’ve had a good season. If they want £20-25 million, that’s a lot more. Hopefully we’ll find a way. Maybe I’ll stay, maybe I’ll go. My first reaction was that that was quite high! But it’s also a compliment.
4
4
4
“For me it’s about playing time. If I get it here, there’s no better place. Of course, [the price tag] is a compliment. But it makes it difficult. £20 million is quite a lot.
“Of course I’m here now. Liverpool is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, club in the world. This has always been my dream. I’m here to show myself that I’m worthy of Liverpool. If he gives me a chance and likes me, there’s a big chance I’ll stay. But we’re still early in the transfer window, so we’ll see.
“I have [Slot] on my first day. He told me I had to prove myself in pre-season. I had my own visions, I want to play. We’ll see what happens. But I’m happy here. My goal is to play football next year, so we’ll see if it’s here or somewhere else.”
Van den Berg has barely featured for the Reds since his arrival five years ago, making just four appearances for the club’s first team.
All four matches took place as part of domestic cup competitions during the COVID-affected 2019/20 season, with three matches played in the EFL Cup and one in the FA Cup.
The defender played 35 games for Mainz last season and scored three goals, helping the Germans finish in 13th place.