Liverpool player’s future takes another twist as German reports claim club sporting director ‘doesn’t know who he is’

Arne Slot has a number of issues to deal with after replacing Jurgen Klopp with one of his players wanted in Germany.

Slot officially replaced Klopp on June 1 but is yet to be unveiled as Liverpool manager after being pictured on holiday with his family earlier this month.

Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, have completely overhauled the sporting department at Anfield since Klopp’s departure was announced, with both Michael Edwards and Julian Ward returning to the club in new roles to work alongside new sporting director Richard Hughes who joined from Bournemouth.

The new taskforce will work in tandem with Slot to pick transfer targets as well as negotiate new contracts for current players; with Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold all out of contract next summer.

While securing new deals for three of the club’s most important players may be a top priority, another Liverpool defender’s future remains unclear after a successful loan spell away from the club.

Dutch defender Sepp van den Berg is wanted permanently by Mainz and the 22-year-old has already stated his desire to move to the Bundesliga this summer, with Liverpool slapping a £20m price tag on his head.

According to German outlet BILD, Mainz are growing frustrated with the lack of negotiations with Liverpool, the transfer is fully stalled despite both the club and player wanting the move.

The report claims an insider revealed that Hughes has more important issues to deal with at the expense of Van den Berg’s situation and suggests the new sporting director might not even know who the defender is.

Sepp van den Berg wants to leave Liverpool (Getty)

Earlier this month, Van den Berg issued a damning interview over his future at the club and demanded to be allowed to leave.

He said: “I had a good conversation with the management. He said he had received good reports. I understood that I wasn't going to play Van Dijk, Matip or Konate out [the team]. But I thought I could be right behind it. When I didn't get a chance again, I said: 'Figure it out, I want to leave.’

“(Liverpool) didn't exude confidence in me all this time, but you do want to hinder my future. I want to keep playing every week and develop myself further.

“In Germany, I enjoy Dortmund away with 70,000 people, Bayern Munich away against Harry Kane, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Leverkusen, against clubs like that I am challenged every week.”