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Liverpool are weighing up whether to send Sepp van den Berg on loan this summer.
The defender, who featured for Preston North End regularly for 18 months, returned to Anfield this pre-season aiming to impress Jurgen Klopp enough to earn a place within his first-team squad despite four or five options ahead of him at centre-back.
However, injuries to others have could now bring opportunities. Ibrahima Konate was already sidelined before the season began, whilst Joel Matip has just been ruled out of Liverpool’s first home game of the season against Crystal Palace.
The Cameroonian sat out of training on Friday and will definitely be out of the match on Monday, with Virgil van Dijk set to be partnered by Joe Gomez, with Van Den Berg and Nathaniel Phillips in reserve,
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The Lancashire Telegraph claimed that Liverpool were considering loaning the former PEC Zwolle graduate on loan to Blackburn Rovers amongst other offers.
It was reported that Sheffield United, Burnley and Watford were all keen on Van Den Berg with Rovers, but now it seems as if they will have to wait for the Dutchman to be surplus to requirements at Anfield before they make a move for him.
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Clarets boss Vincent Kompany was full of praise for him when asked about him in the media, saying that he is:
“A really good player but a key part of it is to find a balance between the players we've already got and the game time, making sure that we're strong enough.”
But with the news about Matip, it will almost certainly see the 20-year-old kept at Liverpool at least until January.
Van Den Berg arrived at Anfield as a 16-year-old from his homeland, having played 21 senior matches in the Eredivisie for the aforementioned Zwolle.
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A few shaky League Cup appearances followed, and he was used as a foil in January 2021 to bring Ben Davies to Liverpool amidst a defensive crisis.
16 appearances in the opening six months of his North End career was followed by 50 last campaign, featuring predominantly as a full-back and wing-back, showcasing his versatility to Jurgen Klopp which could come in great use over a long season, especially with their newly confirmed absentees.
A loan move would aid his experience, but for now, his is too vital for Klopp and his plans.
Chris Stonadge