Liverpool may part with defender Sepp van den Berg for a fee comparable to their initial outlay, as Mainz is poised to exercise a buyout option for the loaned player. Van den Berg's season culminated in a goal that secured Mainz's Bundesliga status for the forthcoming year, scoring the second in a 3-1 victory against Wolfsburg.
This achievement helped Jurgen Klopp's former team avoid relegation, finishing 13th, and set the stage for future planning. A key part of these plans appears to be the retention of Van den Berg, following negotiations between Liverpool and Mainz for a first-option purchase clause last summer.
Reports from Kicker suggest Mainz is ready to activate this clause, enabling them to acquire the Dutch player for "less than €5 million." This valuation places the potential transfer below £4.3 million, less than the total fee Liverpool settled with PEC Zwolle for Van den Berg's transfer to Merseyside in 2019.
Although Liverpool initially paid £1.3 million for the then-17-year-old, with additional clauses potentially increasing the sum to £4.4 million, it's uncertain if Van den Berg met all the criteria to trigger these clauses. Regardless, the profit from his transfer to Mainz this summer would be minimal.
The precise terms of the deal with Liverpool remain undisclosed, and it's possible that Mainz may not have the outright option to purchase the center-back. Nevertheless, there is a clear intent to secure the 22-year-old's services on a permanent basis after a season that included 36 appearances and three goals.
Van den Berg might choose to return to Anfield to try and impress the new head coach Arne Slot during the pre-season, with the change in management potentially providing a better opportunity for him to break into the first team. Slot is likely familiar with Van den Berg's abilities, given the player's regular involvement with the Netherlands U21s.
