Arne Slot will need defensive reinforcements this summer, with Liverpool looking to strengthen their side after, what looks to be, a Premier League title win.
Ibrahima Konate has already reached his most appearances in a season since joining the Reds in 2021 and Virgil Van Dijk—who looks likely to resign in the coming weeks—has not missed a game and continues to be the most dominant centre-back in the Premier League.
But outside of the two main men at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, injuries and inconsistency have threatened to derail Arne Slot’s stellar first season, and the likely departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold creates additional problems.
Jarell Quansah, who had a breakout season in 2023/24, has not reached the same levels this term and Joe Gomez’s injury woes continue to keep him sidelined for large parts of the season.
At times, Slot has had to turn to Wataru Endo and an ageing Andy Robertson for central-defensive cover, potentially foreshadowing the issues that could arise next season if starters miss significant time.
Liverpool could do with some depth at the back and may be rueing a recent sale in that position.
Sepp van den Berg’s impressive Arsenal performance
Van den Berg was linked to Mainz last summer after a solid loan spell, but the deal fell through and Brentford swooped in with a £25m offer.
The Dutchman has impressed during his time in West London, with his best performance in a Brentford shirt coming on Saturday at the Emirates.
He led Thomas Frank’s side in clearances, duels and aerial battles as The Bees fought back to rescue a point in a cagey match.
But this was no flash-in-the-pan performance for the 23-year-old, who ranks in the top 5% of Premier League centre-backs for duels won this season, with 3.34 per 90.
He also ranks highly in progressive passes received and touches in the opposition box, showing an ability to function in the more advanced areas of the pitch as needed.
Van den Berg was integral to Brentford’s comeback effort, preventing Arsenal from building momentum and restricting the Gunners to just three attempts on target.
It was a game that highlighted van den Berg’s progression and ability to go toe-to-toe with the league’s best. Fellow Dutchman Arne Slot may take note after such a performance, especially given the opposition.
Van den Berg ‘dreams’ of Liverpool return
The Dutch centre-half made just four senior appearances for Liverpool—all at the age of 17—and never managed to break into the regular squad.
He would spend the next four seasons out on loan before requesting a permanent move last summer.
In an interview with Dutch publication VP, van den Berg discussed his feelings about the move: “I would be lying if I said that I did not dream of returning to Liverpool one day. That is still on my mind. But for now, it was better for my career to take a different path and play a lot.”
Van den Berg has started 23 league games for Brentford this season, missing a period with injury. He has made himself integral to their backline and good value for the £25m Brentford shelled out for him.
He has not ruled out a Merseyside return, saying, “And who knows, if I do well here for two or three years, I will return to Liverpool and be a starter there too.”
Such a move could make sense for Liverpool, who are not fully-staffed in that department. A Joe Gomez departure seems inevitable and Jarell Quansah will need more time to develop before being thrust into a starting role. Van Dijk is set to stay for another two seasons but eventually, he too will need replacing.
Whether van den Berg is of the level to start for Liverpool remains to be seen, but with depth needed at the back, a future Anfield return is not out of the question.
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