Josh Lawless
A Liverpool player who asked to leave the club on Arne Slot's first day in charge has smashed one of the pre-season fitness test.
Liverpool returned to the AXA Training Centre last week, with plenty of players still not reporting back due to Euro 2024 and Copa America commitments.
But there were still a number of notable returnees who were put through their paces under new boss Slot.
The group included Sepp van den Berg, who spent last season on loan at Mainz and played 35 times.
The 22-year-old has gone on record to say that he expected to leave Liverpool this summer and claiming the Reds were trying to "hinder my future".
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Yet the centre-back has already made a huge impression on Slot, partly because of his fitness levels.
According to James Pearce of The Athletic, Van den Berg registered the highest average speed during running tests.
Liverpool signed the 6ft 4 defender from PEC Zwolle in 2019, beating off competition from Bayern Munich and Ajax.
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He played four times in the cup in his first season at the club, having made his debut in a 5-5 draw with Arsenal.
Van den Berg still has a contract until 2026 and though his future looked bleak, it appears as though Slot has belief in his contract.
Feeling as though his technical ability has improved following his period in Germany, the club have turned down two bids for his services.
Mainz tried to sign him permanently, as have Wolfsburg - but both have been knocked back in their efforts.
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PSV Eindhoven are also said to be interested, with Liverpool valuing Van den Berg at £20 million.
However, the defender is set to be given a chance in the pre-season tour of the United States and could end up staying put.
Speaking in February on his situation, Van den Berg told Voetbal Nieuws:
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"If I go back to Liverpool, they might want me to stay. If I see that I won't get much game time, then I might choose to leave. It's really important to me that I play."