‘I just have to’: £1.3m Liverpool gem claims he’s unhappy about one thing while out on loan

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Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg – via Lancs Live – has set out his aims to show Preston North End boss Frankie McAvoy why he should play at centre-back next season.

The Reds prospect has returned to Deepdale for a full season in the Championship, after a successful spell last term. He first joined the Lilywhites during the January transfer window, and went on to make 16 appearances, starting 15. And his efforts led to a raft of interest.

But McAvoy only fielded Van den Berg in his favoured position twice, one of which came as a substitute. Instead, the Liverpool defender featured nine times at right-back and five times on the right-hand side of the Preston midfield.

Van den Berg now wants to show McAvoy why he should be playing at centre-half after returning to Preston on loan from Liverpool. It is his sole intention for the new campaign, after being left unhappy at his usage last term.

“In my head, I have my own ideas that I want to play centre-back,” Van den Berg said. “But I just have to show the gaffer what I can do there: show that he can trust me and that’s the main focus for me this pre-season – to show him that I can play centre-back.

“For me, it’s my main focus. I just want to play as much as I can, improve and show everyone what I can do and that’s it. I want to make the team better and hopefully, we can win a lot of games, finish as high as possible and that’s just it.”

Liverpool will agree with Van den Berg over Preston role

Liverpool will agree with Van den Berg that he has to establish himself as a centre-back at Preston next season. Playing at right-back and right-midfield will not help the 19-year-old’s development in the position.

The Reds paid PEC Zwolle £1.3m to sign the Dutchman in 2019 to play at centre-half, too. But Jurgen Klopp is still waiting for the U19 international to rise through the ranks and be a first-team player. And a year outside of his favoured position is unlikely to change that.

However, as McAvoy was rarely willing to trust Van den Berg at centre-half last season, now establishing himself in the role will send Liverpool a message. A message that he can follow Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams from the youth set-up and occupy a role in Klopp’s plans.