Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg has revealed he held transfer talks with Ajax last summer as he eyes future move
Sepp van den Berg has revealed he held transfer talks with Ajax last summer as he hinted at a possible Liverpool exit.
The Netherlands Under-21s international is currently on loan in Germany with Mainz 05, making 18 appearances in all competitions and scoring one goal to help keep them just above the relegation zone.
It is the third temporary switch of the Dutchman’s Reds career, having enjoyed stints with Preston North End and Schalke following his £1.3m move to Anfield in the summer of 2019.
Limited to just four first team appearances for Liverpool to date, Van den Berg admits he has his sights on another move abroad.
“I called (former Ajax manager) Maurice Steijn in the summer,” he told ESPN. “It was not very concrete, but there was interest.
“Ajax remains a very big club, but I have my sights set more on abroad. Certainly England or Germany. If I now go looking outside, I might also want to go to Italy or Spain.
“I have been active abroad from an early age and, never say never, but I am focusing on abroad this summer.”
While Van den Berg didn’t move to Ajax, his former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson completed his own transfer to Amsterdam earlier this week. And the 22-year-old thinks his old team-mate is a great signing for the Dutch giants.
“Henderson is really a top guy,” he said. “He is a nice man and a real leader both on and off the field. I certainly think that Ajax’s young, talented selection can use someone in midfield who will direct.
“In my opinion, he can do that as the best. He is a real captain and a great personality. “Off the field, if there is something wrong with the player group, for example, he can discuss it very well with a trainer.
“He is good at getting realistic things out of it. You can laugh with him and have good conversations, so he is a nice guy. He is also a real leader on the field.
“During the corona period you could walk through the empty stadiums. You can hear clearly what was happening on the field. If you watch Liverpool matches, you can hear him above everyone else.
“So he really takes the team in tow. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a super good captain.”
