Why Liverpool’s extensive injury list could delay valuable loan opportunity

Jurgen Klopp likened Liverpool’s experiences over the last week to having “a witch in the building” such were the injury woes, which is to have a knock-on effect on Sepp van den Berg.

Even though it is only the start of the season, the Reds have been busy counting their injury losses over the last few weeks across all departments.

Liverpool had nine players unavailable to Jurgen Klopp against Crystal Palace and a further two Reds were only fit enough to make the bench and play half an hour.

At the back, the Reds are not without their concerns with Ibrahima Konate sidelined with a knee injury and Joel Matip to be unavailable for two weeks with a groin issue.

It left Virgil van Dijk and Nat Phillips as the sole senior centre-backs without injury as Joe Gomez had a “little issue” earlier in the week, training only the day before Crystal Palace‘s visit.

He was named on the bench and played 30 minutes, with Van den Berg then in reserve for Klopp in his second matchday appearance of the season – involvement he will not have expected.

The 20-year-old has been working closely with the first team throughout the summer after his successful 18 months on loan at Preston, but it was expected to be temporary with plenty of loan interest for his signature.

The Championship has beckoned, with Burnley and Blackburn showing interest – the latter of whom has been expected to win out – while clubs in Germany have also been credited with “serious interest.”

With the centre-back ranks thin on the ground and recent experience in being short in the position, Liverpool will look to hold onto Van den Berg, and, subsequently, Phillips for as long as they can.

The transfer window closes on September 1 and Klopp will hope to have Matip, at the very least, back in the fold and then can release, in all likelihood, just one of Van den Berg or Phillips.

Van den Berg is the likelier of the two to make a move but all signs point to him, and by all accounts, Blackburn, having to bide their time until later in the window as Liverpool opts for a caution first approach.