Sepp van den Berg. Credit: Imago Images
Sepp van den Berg’s move to Brentford this summer marked the end of a frustrating chapter at Liverpool, where the young defender struggled to find his footing in Jurgen Klopp’s squad.
Having joined Liverpool from PEC Zwolle in 2019, van den Berg managed only four appearances over five seasons, leading to a sense of stagnation in his career.
Despite showing promise during loan spells at Preston North End, Schalke, and Mainz, the 22-year-old found himself continually overlooked at Anfield.
Frustrated by the lack of opportunities and feeling undervalued, van den Berg was eager to leave Liverpool permanently.
However, he was initially thwarted by what he perceived as an inflated asking price of £20 million set by the club, which he believed hindered his chances of securing a move.
Van den Berg’s £19.35 million move to Brentford and the frustrations that led to it
Brentford eventually secured van den Berg’s services for £19.35 million, a move that brought immediate relief to the Dutch defender.
Speaking to the club’s website, he expressed his excitement about the new chapter, highlighting the positive discussions he had with Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank.
Unlike his time at Liverpool, where he felt sidelined despite strong performances in training and on loan, van den Berg felt genuinely valued by Frank and the club.
Reflecting on his time at Liverpool, van den Berg shared his disappointment with Dutch publication De Telegraaf.
He recounted the challenges of training against Liverpool’s top attackers, such as Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah, which he found both tough and enjoyable.
However, he also expressed frustration that, despite being told he had potential, he was never given a real chance to prove himself in the first team.
The lack of trust from Liverpool’s management led him to request a transfer, determined to continue his development elsewhere.
“[I am] central to the defence in training against the starting XI, you have to build up and then Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah all come running towards you,” he said, adding: “It was tough, I enjoyed it.
“But in all honesty, I wasn’t looked after anymore. I felt ready [in 2021]. I had a good conversation with the management. He said he had received good reports. I understood that I wasn’t going to play Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate out the team. But I thought I could be right behind it.”
Van Dewn Berg grew frustrated at the lack of minutes, choosing to move to Brentford: “When I didn’t get a chance again, I said, ‘Figure it out, I want to leave. You [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’.”
Since joining Brentford, van den Berg has already matched the number of appearances he made during his entire time at Liverpool.
He made a strong debut in a 1-0 EFL Cup victory over Colchester United and has continued to feature regularly, including in Premier League matches against Southampton and Manchester City.
Van den Berg is eager to help Brentford achieve new heights, stating confidently that he wants to contribute wherever possible and play as many games as he can.
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