A new era began at Liverpool on Saturday as Arne Slot officially started work at the club.
Slot has had a long time to think about what his tenure at Anfield might look like, having known he’s taking over for some weeks.
On Saturday that became a reality. Although we haven’t yet seen Slot at the AXA Training Centre, he’s surely already hard at work putting plans in place for pre-season.
The biggest remit for the new head coach will be figuring out the inner workings of the Liverpool squad. Slot will have to get a grip on who has a future under his leadership and who does not.
This is likely to include some Liverpool players resurrecting their careers with the Reds, and perhaps some surprises as others fizzle out. After what’s been said over the weekend though, we already know one player who has the writing on the wall.
Sepp van den Berg rails at Liverpool asking-price
These weeks between the season ending and pre-season beginning can provide hope for loan players returning to the club.
The likes of Fabio Carvalho and Tyler Morton have had good campaigns, for example, and will be hopeful of impressing Slot upon returning to Anfield.
Another to have done really well while away from Liverpool has been defender Sepp van den Berg. After shining with Mainz, it has already been reported that Slot is keen to take a look at Van den Berg in pre-season.
READ MORE: Not even Virgil van Dijk can match what Sepp van den Berg did this season
However, The Athletic also claimed that should the Dutch coach not wish to keep Van den Berg around, Liverpool will look for a £20m fee to sell him.
This has angered the 22-year-old, who has told De Telegraaf that he is being held back by the Reds. He wishes to leave and feels the price-tag will make it difficult for that to happen.
“You didn’t exude confidence in me all this time, but you do want to hinder my future,” Van den Berg is quoted as saying. “I want to keep playing every week and develop myself further.”
Sepp van den Berg will never play for Liverpool again
While you can understand Van den Berg’s comments to some extent, he is also really barking up the wrong tree.
Prior to this season, he has not been at the level to be part of the Liverpool squad. Had he stayed fit last year, that might have been different. But after spending most the season injured while at Schalke, the Netherlands U21 star needed game time. It wasn’t coming at Liverpool.
Perhaps the one thing that is really sticking in Van den Berg’s craw is seeing Jarell Quansah being promoted. But Quansah ended last season strongly and had obviously caught the attention of Liverpool’s coaching team.
That the former PEC Zwolle centre-back did not is not on the Reds, but rather on he and his own performances. Or in this case, bad luck with injury.
This season, Van den Berg has stepped things up. Hence, he now feels ready to be looked at properly as a potential first-team player. Put together with his ‘excellent’ spell at Preston, Sepp’s level looks good.
After these immature and really inadvisable comments though, we now don’t see that happening. Liverpool may relent on their asking-price a little, but even if they don’t, Van den Berg has now made a rod for his own back. He shouldn’t be near the squad until he loses the attitude.
Such a shame.