Sepp Van den Berg has touched down in Germany as the Liverpool and Premier League youngster closes in on a return to the Bundesliga with Jurgen Klopp’s former employers Mainz 05.
With Saudi Arabian offers arriving for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho – the former offered a staggering £700,000-a-week and the latter the subject of a £40 million bid from Al-Ittihad – Sepp Van den Berg’s impending move from Liverpool to Mainz is likely to fly somewhat under the radar.
There is certainly no shortage of interest in the 21-year-old Dutchman.
Ajax want to bring Van den Berg – formerly of PEC Zwolle – back to the Netherlands. Union Berlin can offer Champions League football.
But while Mainz are perhaps the most low-profile of Van den Berg’s suitors, Kicker report that the former Preston North End and Schalke loanee has been won over after holding talks with Mainz’s highly-rated head coach Bo Svensson.
Sepp Van den Berg on the verge of Liverpool exit
Sporting director Christian Heidel, Kicker add, is now ‘negotiating the final details of the deal’. Van den Berg jetted into Frankfurt on Thursday morning too before presumably making the 40 mile trip to Mainz, according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.
It remains to be seen if Van den Berg will join on loan or on a permanent basis.
The one-time Bayern Munich target is open to either possibility; Van den Berg no closer to forcing his way into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team plans. He could yet fall further down the pecking order amid reports linking Liverpool with Chelsea’s England U21 star Levi Colwill and Torino ace Perr Schuurs.
Van den Berg admitted in May that he was ‘definitely open’ to staying at Schalke on a full-time basis. The club’s relegation – confirmed a fortnight later – quickly put pay to that, however.
“I gained great experience (in Germany),” Van den Berg said.
“The Bundesliga is a great opportunity for me. If Schalke want to keep me, I’m definitely open to staying.”
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