Big Liverpool exit announced as second star backed to join European champions

Liverpool have officially sold Sepp van den Berg, though his primary suitors have missed out on the capture, while another Reds star could re-join one of his successful former clubs, according to reports.

Van Den Berg’s future has been the subject of plenty of speculation in recent months after he performed exceptionally well while on loan at Mainz in Germany. The centre-back would have loved to force his way into the Liverpool starting eleven, but he knew that would have been extremely difficult.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were already standing in Van Den Berg’s way, while Liverpool are eyeing up other central defenders such as Goncalo Inacio and Piero Hincapie, too.

These factors forced Van Den Berg to decide that he must join another club on a permanent basis this summer so he can settle down and pick up regular game time.

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Due to the 22-year-old’s brilliant potential, he has received admiring glances from a host of clubs including Wolfsburg, Ajax, Southampton and PSV, just to name a few.

But it emerged on Tuesday that the race for Van Den Berg’s signature had come down to reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool’s Premier League competitors Brentford.

Leverkusen were thought to be leading the race, though Xabi Alonso has missed out as Brentford have managed to sign the Netherlands U21 international.

In a club statement, the Bees announced that they have brought Van Den Berg in on a five-year deal. According to David Ornstein, Liverpool have picked up a significant fee for Van Den Berg, with the deal worth an initial £20million. That could rise to £25m if certain bonus clauses are met, too.

Liverpool transfers: Sepp van den Berg joins Brentford

That extra £20m will give Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes a major boost as he tries to bolster Arne Slot’s squad with the Reds’ first signing of the summer.

Ornstein adds that Brentford managed to beat Leverkusen in the race for the defender after he held very positive talks with their manager, Thomas Frank.

It is a real coup for Brentford given all Leverkusen achieved last season, and how well Van Den Berg performed while out on loan.

When asked about the new arrival, Frank told club media: “I’m very pleased that we have managed to sign Sepp. I think this is a great signing for the club and the team.

“Sepp is a centre-back with a good level and he has the potential to develop even further.

“He fits our culture and the way we want to play: he is quick, he reads the game well and is composed on the ball in the build-up and in the decisive defending actions.

“Sepp is a great character, and I am convinced that he will fit in well with the group and help us to push forward.”

Left-back to leave too?

Meanwhile, Van Den Berg could be followed out of Anfield by fellow defender Kostas Tsimikas in a surprise summer exit.

According to Greek football specialist Stephen Kountourou, who is based in the UK, there is growing talk that Tsimikas will return to Olympiacos this summer.

Tsimikas has been told he is ‘not in Slot’s plans’, and the left-back is expected to be contacted by Olympiacos amid his search for first-team minutes.

The Greek Super League club, who are the Europa Conference League holders, would likely re-sign Tsimikas on an initial loan.

However, a permanent move back to his home country may materialise for the 28-year-old as he has little chance of changing Slot’s mind.

Tsimikas has enjoyed his spell at Liverpool and has been embraced by the fans, even though he does not play on a weekly basis, but a move back closer to his family would clearly be hard to turn down.

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