Southampton is working quickly to prepare their team for the Premier League.
After defeating Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley in the Championship play-off final on Sunday, Russell Martin’s team have confirmed their place in the top division.
The Southampton manager will be working with Sport Republic to identify important targets for this summer, even though he won’t want to upset too many people and will still have faith in the players that helped them reach to the Premier League.
The top goal is to attempt to extend the loan agreements for Ryan Fraser and Flynn Downes, who are key players for Southampton this year.
But there are still other areas that need work, and according to the most recent sources, Southampton is thinking of spending £20 million to sign a player of true talent.
Southampton eye Sepp van den Berg
Sepp van den Berg is that player; following a fruitful loan stint at Mainz, the 22-year-old elder brother of Middlesbrough’s Rav is expected to return to Liverpool.
In 2019, Van den Berg moved to Liverpool from PEC Zwolle in his native country, however he has only played four games for the team.
Consequently, it appears that his future may be elsewhere—even with Arne Slot taking over for Jurgen Klopp this summer—and Southampton may be interested, according to a story in The Athletic.
According to the source, “Ajax has a long-standing interest in him, while Wolfsburg is regarded as a serious contender in the Bundesliga and Brentford and newly promoted Southampton are among his Premier League suitors.”
The report continues by implying that Liverpool values the Dutch defender at £20 million, which means Southampton will have to pay the same amount they have previously paid to extend Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ loan from Manchester City.
Sepp van den Berg a ‘beast’ of a centre-back
Mainz, Van den Berg’s 2023–24 loan team, is rumoured to be interested in making the arrangement permanent but is unlikely to be able to match Liverpool’s asking price.
The young player, who had loans at Preston and Schalke, had an outstanding season, making 33 games in the Bundesliga.
Joe Rafferty, a former Liverpool defender with whom Van den Berg played at Preston, described the player in 2021 as “physically a beast.” He’s got all the traits, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s quick”.
Not only that, but he is incredibly skilled technically. Probably for that reason, Liverpool purchased him.
“I believe he has all the qualities to be a centre back, and he eventually wants to be one.”
Van den Berg’s signature will be competitive for Southampton, but maybe St. Mary’s can entice him with the promise of a chance at the Premier League, something he had hoped to achieve at Liverpool.
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