Premier League defender Sepp van den Berg was once hailed as a “big talent” by former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
Now playing for Brentford, the Dutchman has his sights set on a potential return to Anfield to fulfill his ambitions.
Back in 2019, an 18-year-old Van den Berg joined Liverpool, earning high praise from Klopp. “He is a big talent but still a young boy, and we already have a strong team,” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com at the time. “He embraced the challenge and really wanted to be here, and I’m very happy for him.”
However, his time at Liverpool didn’t go as planned, and he eventually moved to Brentford.
Now, Van den Berg has revealed his aspirations to rejoin Liverpool in the future, as well as his desire to break into the Netherlands senior squad.
Speaking to Dutch football outlet Voetbal Primeur, he explained: “I had a few discussions with Slot [Liverpool’s new manager], but before preseason began, I had already informed the club that I wanted to leave and get more playing time.”
He admitted that Liverpool remains on his mind: “I would be lying if I said I don’t dream of returning to Liverpool one day. That’s still something I think about. But for now, moving elsewhere and getting regular minutes was the best decision for my career.”
Van den Berg also acknowledged that had he stayed at Liverpool, he might have had opportunities to fill in for injured defenders Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez this season.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider that possibility. Football is unpredictable. I performed well in preseason and could have seen myself playing, but not with the same role and responsibility I have at Brentford.”
He added: “Right now, I’m a guaranteed starter when fit. At Liverpool, I would have been more of a squad player filling in when needed. I’d rather be a regular starter. But who knows? If I keep performing well here for two or three years, maybe I’ll return to Liverpool and earn a starting spot there too.”
The 23-year-old defender joined Liverpool in 2019 for £1.3 million but made only four senior appearances before being loaned out to Preston North End, Schalke, and Mainz. Last summer, Brentford secured his services in a £25 million deal.
Since then, he has become a crucial player under Thomas Frank, starting 24 of the 25 games he has played this season.
On the international stage, Van den Berg has his eyes set on a future call-up for the Netherlands, describing it as a “boyhood dream” to represent his country.