FSV Mainz 05 have ‘won the race’ to sign Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg after he chose the German club over other options.
That’s according to Kicker, who corroborate reports from Germany earlier today stating that the defender is set to join the Bundesliga side.
They report that Van den Berg ‘opted for’ Mainz this summer after a meeting with coach Bo Svensson, who managed to convince the youngster that he and his club were the best destination for the Dutchman.
He’s now given his word to them and sport director Christian Heidel is currently negotiating the ‘final details of the deal’ of the transfer with Liverpool’s owners.
It is currently unclear whether Van den Berg will be joining the club on loan or on a permanent transfer, having spent last season on loan with Schalke.
He only managed nine games for Schalke last season due to injuries but performances in those games were enough to put him in the spotlight and convince Mainz to make the move.
Van den Berg is ‘ready for anything’ and one potential option is a loan deal with a purchase obligation for the summer of 2024, which would be dependent on them avoiding relegation.
That would make sense for Mainz, potentially if they cannot secure a major sale this summer to help balance the books.
Either way, talks with Liverpool are underway and the defender has been convinced on the move, thanks to a conversation with Svensson.
