Impressive stat highlights Liverpool loanee's impact at new club

Sepp van den Berg is somewhat of a forgotten man at Liverpool.

The young Dutchman signed from PEC Zwolle back in 2019 and, despite making the odd first-team appearance, has subsequently been sent out on three different loan spells.

The centre-back, who has featured for the Reds just four times at senior level, initially joined Preston North End on loan during the second half of the 2021/22 season, impressing for the Championship side.

Van den Berg spent last season at Schalke in the Bundesliga and endured a difficult injury-hit campaign, eventually suffering relegation with the German side.

This season has seen him return to the Bundesliga with Mainz, featuring 15 times for the strugglers and netting his first goal for the club during an impressive display against Borussia Dortmund last time out.

While Mainz, Jurgen Klopp's old club, have underperformed, Van den Berg has put in some admirable displays, with one impressive stat summing up his contributions at the Mewa Arena.

According to the This Is Anfield's Jack Lusby, the 22-year-old has averaged the most successful aerial duels (5.8) per 90 of any defender in Europe's top five leagues that has played over 500 minutes.

The good news for Liverpool is that they also have two other players in the top five in Ibrahima Konate (4.2) and Virgil van Dijk (5.0), both of whom have been imperious in the air this season.

Van den Berg would not be ready to step into the first team at Anfield just yet, but he remains a Liverpool player for the time being and likely someone that Klopp is keeping a close eye on.

However, it's reported that Mainz have an option to buy Van den Berg come the end of his loan spell, with the defender even hinting on his arrival that he would be happy to make a permanent switch to the club.

With Jarell Quansah emerging as Liverpool's young centre-back option, it seems, regardless of his performances in the Bundesliga, that Van den Berg's Anfield career may come to an end sooner rather than later.