Arne Slot ready to make transfer U-turn as stance changed after Liverpool pre-season

Liverpool has not made a transfer signing so far this summer. Every other club in the Premier League has completed at least one deal, so what is it waiting for?

It is understandable if new head coach Arne Slot wants to fully assess the existing squad before making any firm decisions on which areas of the roster if he would like to address. There is also the question of how returning loanees fit into the picture too.

Fear not. This is not one of those pieces which will suggest that Fabio Carvalho or Sepp van den Berg could – all together now – be like a new signing for Liverpool this season. However, Slot has been observing both and started the pair in the 1-0 win over Real Betis last week . It has reported he has come to a decision regarding the future of van den Berg.

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The young Dutchman spent last season on loan at Jurgen Klopp ’s first club, Mainz. He performed very well, helping the relegation-threatened side to eventually finish 13 ^th . He was WhoScored’s highest rated center-back in the Bundesliga, taking the gold medal for goal line clearances and silver for both shots blocked and aerial duels won.

With a record like that, it’s little wonder Mainz is looking to retain van den Berg’s services. However, it was claimed that itself and Liverpool were a fair way apart on the transfer fee. PSV Eindhoven has also made a bid for the defender, again falling short. According to the Liverpool Echo , the Eredivisie side offered around $12.8m (£10m/€11.9m) when the Reds are looking for double that amount.

It was previously believed that the club was unwilling to loan out van den Berg yet again – he also spent time with Preston and Schalke prior to Mainz – but Liverpool’s stance has reportedly softened. Bild (via Inside Futbol ) has claimed that another loan move could be approved by the club with the player happy to return to the team with whom he spent 2023/24.

Van den Berg made his four senior appearances for Liverpool way back in the 2019/20 season, though he was also part of the match day squad when the Reds become Club World Cup champions against Flamengo that season. Per Transfermarkt, he is under contract at Anfield for two more years.

Liverpool.com says: If the loan move goes through, van den Berg will have made as many such temporary transfers as he has appearances for Liverpool. If Slot is not convinced that his countryman meets the Reds’ requirements, it is surely better for all parties if the club lowers its asking price rather than sending him out on loan yet again.