According to an update from Fabrizio Romano on Wednesday afternoon, Liverpool have approved the departure of another player from Anfield.
Following Fabio Carvalho’s £27.5m transfer to Brentford last week, the Reds are now poised to finalise a similar deal for another standout pre-season performer, Sepp van den Berg.
Romano shared on X today: “Liverpool will receive £20m plus £5m add-ons for Sepp van den Berg, green light to both Brentford and Bayer Leverkusen. The Dutch defender will decide between the two clubs soon after speaking to Xabi Alonso and Thomas Frank.”
Van den Berg’s exit now appears inevitable, with the defender facing a choice between staying in the Premier League and quickly reuniting with Carvalho in west London or pursuing Champions League football with the Bundesliga title holders.
With ongoing uncertainty surrounding Joe Gomez’s future, Liverpool could risk leaving themselves short in the center-back position after van den Berg’s departure. Rhys Williams has already gone out on loan, and Nat Phillips remains on the fringes, likely to leave permanently int the near future.
It’s somewhat surprising that the Reds are prepared to let the 22-year-old leave, especially considering his impressive performances during the pre-season tour in the USA and his return to training at the AXA Training Centre last month. However, Liverpool have a strong track record of knowing when to cash in on younger or fringe players. The club previously secured substantial fees for players like Jordon Ibe (£15m), Harry Wilson (£12m), and Rhian Brewster (£23.5m), proving their ability to maximize value from such transfers.
At £25m, the fee for van den Berg—who, despite his talent, has made only four senior appearances for Liverpool—would represent another shrewd piece of business.
