Report: Stuttgart enter van den Berg race

Dutch center back Sepp van den Berg's parent club of Liverpool FC - having rejected offers from both FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg - may potentially be soon negotiating with VfB Stuttgart over a potential sale of the 22-year-old. This is reported by Holland's "Eindhovens Dagblad" newspaper, which claims that the 2023/24 Bundesliga runners-up have thrown their hat in the ring. 

The Merseyside club have reportedly slapped a €20 million price-tag on the Dutch youth international, who has Bundesliga experience playing on loan for both Schalke and Mainz. Van den Berg is said to be amenable to a permanent move to German football. Stuttgart - thanks in part due to the sales of central defenders Hiroki Ito and Waldemar Anton - presently operate with a summer transfer surplus of around €21 million.

The Swabians have secured additional support for the central defensive corps by singing loan players Leonidas Stergiouand Anthony Rouault to permanent deals. Köln's Jeff Chabot and Feyenoord's Ramon Hendricks have also been added. It thus remains to be seen as to whether van den Berg constitutes the best use of VfB's extra cash.

Rumors that Stuttgart have tendered an offer for Dean Huijsen nevertheless suggests that the German Champions' League representatives do wish to add another center back to the mix. Van den Berg scored three goals in 35 appearances across all competitions for the Rheinhessen last season and was considered one of the club's best performers.