When Liverpool pipped the likes of Bayern Munich and Ajax to the signing of then-teenager Sepp van den Berg in 2019, it looked as though it had snapped up one of the best defensive prospects in Europe. The Dutchman was just 17 when he arrived from PEC Zwolle after one season in the Eredivisie.
Van den Berg, who cost $1.6m (£1.3m/€1.5m), thought the interest from Anfield was a joke, admitting: “I was really happy and, to be honest, I was a little bit scared at first because such a big club had interest in me. I couldn’t believe it.
However, it was evident that Jürgen Klopp and the Liverpool scouting team noticed something when he was given his debut in the Carabao Cup a few months later. Van den Berg would also play in the FA Cup and a historic 5-5 draw with Arsenal later in the competition, although that hasn’t been as good.
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