Dutch U-21 defender Sepp van den Berg has spent time on loan at Preston North End and Schalke since joining Liverpool in 2019. This season, he moved on loan to Mainz, where he made 29 appearances. He continues to be used as a mainstay in the backline.
He has a contract with Liverpool until June 2026. Although he is in a position to try and establish himself in the first team, he is likely to be loaned out somewhere next season, with the emergence of Jarell Quansah and rumours of a new centre-back acquisition this summer.
The Dutch defender, who has spoken of his fatigue with the loan spell, is now in a situation where he must achieve Bundesliga survival at all costs if he is to stay at Mainz, where he is a regular next season.
According to SportBILD, Liverpool will not loan out the 22-year-old centre-back to a team in the second tier of the German domestic league and have told Mainz that they will not even negotiate a loan deal if they are relegated.
The club are currently in the relegation zone and must close the gap of “six” points to get out. With fewer games to play, they are undoubtedly in a difficult position and their ability to turn it around at the end of the season is being tested.
The pressure is on the former Zwolle defender and he will be looking to stay up by himself and continue playing for a club with a good feel-good factor.
So where does the future end for the young 22-year-old defender end up…?