Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg is expected to be loaned out for a third season – and Jurgen Klopp‘s old club have emerged as suitors.
Van den Berg has enhanced his reputation with spells at Preston and Schalke, spending the last two-and-a-half campaigns away from Anfield.
His time at Schalke was hampered by a serious ankle injury, though, and upon his return he was powerless to help them against relegation from the Bundesliga.
That has not put the club off from their attempts to re-sign him, however, with Schalke sporting director Andre Hechelmann confirming talks are already underway.
But according to BILD, they will face competition from a club still in the Bundesliga and who enjoy a strong relationship with Klopp and Liverpool.
Mainz are reported to hold an interest in Van den Berg, who “is set to be loaned out again” despite now qualifying as a homegrown player in the Premier League.
The club, who finished ninth in the Bundesliga last season, are currently checking the “financial and sporting feasibility” of a deal.
This comes after Mainz manager Bo Svensson was forced to resort to a host of emergency options due to concerns over form and fitness at centre-back.
Van den Berg would arrive as an established, high-potential option at the heart of the defence, and if he takes up a first-choice role it would likely appeal to Liverpool.
There are obvious ties with Mainz due to Klopp’s lengthy time there as both player and manager, while Svensson himself worked under the 55-year-old during his playing career.
Whether that would smooth over negotiations is unclear, but it would not be the first time that Klopp’s connections in Germany led to a transfer.
For example, his relationship with then-Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat led the club to take Nat Phillips on loan in 2019/20.
“Klopp approached me and said I should take a look at Nathaniel Phillips because he was looking for a loan deal for him,” Mislintat told kicker in 2021.
“Even though I trust Klopp blindly with such an offer, I bear the responsibility of course.
“That’s why I first had to take a look at him myself and give him a credible assurance that he has a real chance to play with us.
“In the end, it turned out that he was exactly the kind of player we were looking for.”
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