February 27th 2025.
After Arne Slot took over as manager, Sepp van den Berg expressed his desire to leave Liverpool. Despite this, the former Liverpool defender still dreams of returning to Anfield one day. Last summer, the Dutch defender made a move to Brentford in a deal worth up to £25m and has since made 21 appearances for the Premier League club.
Van den Berg was determined to play regularly and was willing to leave Liverpool if opportunities were limited there. He had previously been on loan at Preston, Schalke, and Mainz, and it became clear that he wouldn't get the game time he desired in a Liverpool shirt. However, the 23-year-old still holds on to his dream of one day becoming a regular starter for the Reds.
"I made it clear to the club before pre-season started that I wanted to leave and play more minutes," Van den Berg revealed in an interview with Dutch publication Voetbal Primeur. "I wouldn't be truthful if I said that I didn't still dream of returning to Liverpool one day. It's always on my mind. But for now, it was best for my career to take a different path and play as much as possible."
When Liverpool expressed their desire for him to stay after a successful pre-season, Van den Berg knew it was time to move on. "It was ultimately my decision," he said. "I'm happy to now be playing in the Premier League every week."
Van den Berg has faced Liverpool this season and has shown his quality against his former club. Under the new management of Arne Slot, he initially felt happy and involved in the pre-season fixtures. However, he made it clear that he would rather move on than sit on the bench.
"It's been a great pre-season for me," Van den Berg shared in an interview with Sky Sports last summer. "New coach, new era, fresh training, and a new style of play. I really enjoy it. But for me, it's all about game time and at the moment, I'm getting that here. So I'm happy for now. You never know what can happen, but playing is the most important thing for me."
Although currently sidelined with a minor knee injury, Van den Berg is expected to make a quick recovery. Brentford manager Thomas Frank shared that it's good news and that they're talking about weeks instead of months for his return. "Straight after the game, I was hoping it was a minor injury," Frank said. "So I would say it's as positive as it can be."
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