Liverpool reject bid for defender who says his own asking price is too high

Liverpool have turned down a bid for defender Sepp van den Berg from PSV Eindhoven, with the Dutchman saying that his own asking price is too high.

The 22-year-old has been with the Reds since 2019 but has made just four first team appearances, all in domestic cup competitions.

He has spent time on loan at Preston, Schalke and last season at Mainz, where he was a regular in the first team, making 33 Bundesliga appearances.

The centre-back wants more regular first team action and is open to leaving Anfield to get it, which seems likely given Liverpool have the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez at their disposal.

Fabrizio Romano reports that PSV have made a bid of ‘around’ €10m (£8.44m) but Liverpool immediately rejected it.

The Reds are thought to want more than double that for Van den Berg, with an asking price of £20m placed on his head, but the man himself thinks that is unwarranted.

‘I know in today’s market (high prices) will happen,’ he said. ‘For the price they want for me, hmmm…

‘Liverpool may think it is right as I had a good season, if they want £20-£25million that is a lot more. Hopefully we can find a way. Maybe I stay, maybe I go.

‘The first reaction from me is that it was quite high! It is also a compliment. But it makes it difficult, £20m is majorly high.’

Van den Berg has been involved in pre-season friendlies so far and is trying to use his chances to impress new boss Arne Slot, with a future at Liverpool the ‘dream’ scenario.

‘I’m still a Liverpool player. I enjoy it here, really,’ he told Sky Sports.

‘It’s been a very nice pre-season. Of course, new coach, like new era starts, fresh training, new style of play. I really like it.

‘For me, it’s just about game time and, at the moment, I’m getting it here. So I’m happy at the moment, but like I said, it’s still early. You never know what can happen, but for me the most important thing is playing.

‘If I can do it here, there’s no better place. It’s one of the biggest, if not the biggest, clubs in the world, so if it’s here, it’s my dream. But for me, the most important thing is playing, so I will see what happens.’

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