‘The first reaction from me…’ – Van den Berg openly comments on Liverpool’s valuation of him
Sepp van den Berg has been commenting about his immediate future on more than one occasion this summer, and he’s now given his thoughts on Liverpool’s reported asking price for him.
The Dutch defender has been attracting interest from PSV Eindhoven in his homeland and numerous Bundesliga outfits, and Southampton are also believed to be in the mix (Liverpool Echo).
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds deem the 22-year-old to be worthy of £20m, and while the player is flattered by that valuation, he’s also conscious that it could preclude many prospective suitors from tabling an offer that the club would accept.
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Van den Berg said of LFC’s asking price: “I know in today’s market [high prices] will happen. For the price they want for me, hmmm…Liverpool may think it is right as I had a good season. If they want £20m-£25m, that is a lot more.
“Hopefully we can find a way. Maybe I stay, maybe I go. The first reaction from me is that it was quite high! But it is also a compliment. For me, it is about playing time. If I get it here, there is no better place to be. Of course, [the price tag] is a compliment, but it makes it difficult. £20m is majorly high.”
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One thing that Van den Berg has repeatedly stressed throughout the summer, and done so once again here, is his burning desire to play regular first-team football in the upcoming season.
The 22-year-old has indicated that he’d like to do just that with Liverpool, although these latest remarks suggest that he’d be willing to leave if he were to be guaranteed a starting berth elsewhere.
In a market where Leny Yoro can command just under £60m after playing 60 senior games for Lille, the Reds are well within the rights to ask for at least £20m for a defender with more than that amount in the Bundesliga and Eredivisie alone (not to mention his 66 games for Preston).
Van den Berg’s impressive performances in pre-season training and the win over Real Betis on Friday night could go a long way towards seeing him retained in the first-team fold by Arne Slot for the upcoming campaign, even if regular starts might be more difficult to promise.
The one thing Liverpool mustn’t do is sell a player of the 22-year-old’s ceiling on the cheap, especially when centre-back depth has been such a glaring issue at Anfield in recent months, and continues to be throughout the summer transfer window.
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