Liverpool transfers: Sepp van den Berg to join Mainz in €5m deal

Sepp van den Berg looks set to play NO PART in the post-Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool with the latest reports out of Germany suggesting the defender will join Mainz on a permanent basis this summer. 

Van den Berg, 22, spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Mainz in the Bundesliga, where they narrowly avoided relegation to the second tier. 

Despite their indifferent form, the Zerofivers are reported to have been impressed with the Liverpool loanee, who played 35 matches for them overall, scoring three times. 

A right back or centre back by trade, the Dutchman could be making the move on a permanent basis in the near future as Mainz seek to wrap up a deal as quickly as possible. 

The Netherlands under-21 international joined Mainz on a one-season loan deal last July with it believed that the move could be made permanent for a fee of around €5 million, according to Kicker. 

The defender is out of contract in 2026, having joined Liverpool from PEC Zwolle for around €2m as a 17-year-old back in 2019. 

He hasn’t been able to make the senior breakthrough at Anfield, appearing only four times for the first team, and has been on loan at Preston North End and Schalke previously. 

No Slot reunion for Van den Berg

Following his loan spell at Schalke, Van den Berg was linked with a permanent transfer to Ajax but he opted to go back to the Bundesliga for another stint with Mainz - Jurgen Klopp’s former club - instead. 

Arne Slot began his coaching career with Zwolle, where he was also a player, and came across Van den Berg as he made his way through the youth ranks before leaving for Liverpool. 

It looks like there will be NO reunion for the compatriots on the cards at Anfield however despite it being reported recently that the Reds would keep him around the club through the summer rebuild.