Former Liverpool Star Opens Up About Anfield Exit and Dreams of Return

In the 2024/25 season, the departure of Jurgen Klopp and the arrival of Arne Slot as his replacement, along with new sporting director Richard Hughes, did not lead to significant changes in the playing staff. The only new addition to the team was Federico Chiesa, while goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili joined the club but subsequently went on loan to Valencia.

Liverpool also made two significant departures, bringing in more than £40million of funds in order to keep the PSR overlords happy, as Premier League rivals Brentford swooped for defender Sepp van den Berg and midfielder Fabio Carvalho.

Sepp van den Berg opens up on Liverpool exit

Van den Berg quickly established himself in the Brentford starting XI, and has made 21 Premier League appearances for the Bees, justifying his decision to leave Liverpool in search of first-team opportunities after he was behind the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in the Anfield pecking order.

Speaking to Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur, the 23-year-old has opened up on why he chose to leave the club - and how he is not ruling out a return to the club in the future.

"I've had a few conversations with Slot,” the defender said. “But before the preparation began, I already indicated to the club that I wanted to leave and make minutes. I would be lying if I said that I don't dream of ever returning to Liverpool. That's still in my head.

“But for now it was better for my career to take a different path and start playing a lot. I'm doing that now and that's why I can develop as well as possible. After the preparation, Liverpool indicated that I had done so well that they wanted me to stay.

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“But I didn't really like that myself. It was all my choice, I'm glad I'm playing in the Premier League every week now."

With Liverpool sitting at the top of the Premier League, into the last-16 of the Champions League and with a Wembley date against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final booked in, Van den Berg admits that he has thought about what would have happened had he stayed put, especially considering the likes of Konate and Joe Gomez have both suffered injuries this term.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't look at that myself", he adds. "That's football, you don't know. I did well in the preparation and I really saw myself playing for the club, but not with the credit I now have at Brentford. I am now a starter who always plays as long as he is fit.

“At Liverpool I would have been more of a player who should have filled in gaps. I'd rather be the starter. And who knows, if I do well here for two, three years, I'll go back to Liverpool and I'll be a starter there too."

In FourFourTwo’s view, Van den Berg, who is valued at €18million by Transfermarkt, made a sensible, informed decision when he left Liverpool for first-team football. By getting regular minutes under his belt in the Premier League he is growing as a player and he looks to appreciate the fact that this could lead to bigger moves further down the track.