Sepp van den Berg is wanted by Jurgen Klopp's former club Mainz 05 - according to a new report.
Having spent this season on loan with Schalke - who were relegated from the Bundesliga with Van den Berg only making nine appearances due to injury - the defender is now gearing up to take part in this summer's U21 European Championships, which will be held in Romania and Georgia. His future will then come under the microscope.
Throughout his Liverpool career, the Netherlands centre-back has only played four senior games in addition to his loan spells with Preston and Schalke last season. However, due to problems with his ankle and foot, his impact was curtailed before returning to action for the Bundesliga run-in.
Schalke are understood to want Van den Berg to return to them next campaign. Reports from German publication BILD, though, argue Mainz have entered the race for his signature, and have promptly become front-runners due to their top-division status. Klopp, of course, managed Mainz between 2001 and 2008 towards the start of his coaching career before moving on to Borussia Dortmund and then Liverpool.
READ MORE: Roberto Martinez reveals how close he came to becoming Liverpool manager
READ MORE: Liverpool fans think they've spotted Khephren Thuram clue amid transfer link
Van den Berg has not directly addressed these developing transfer rumours. However, when pressed on his future last month, the 21-year-old stated he would take time to make his decision, and that it would only be finalised after representing the Netherlands this June and July.
In an interview with German outlet WAZ last month, the Liverpool man said: "There have already been initial talks with those responsible about remaining at Schalke. But we have to wait.
"Only then [after the U21 European Championships] will it be decided where I will play in the coming season. It was similar in the past three years."
He added: "At some moments it's difficult and stressful not to know which country I will be living in a few months. You would like to settle down in one place.
"If one day my home club Liverpool would tell me I could stay and get my caps [appearances] then that would be great, but now I'm at Schalke and I want the team to achieve our goal of staying up. After the end of the season, I will be back in Liverpool to talk about the near future."
READ NEXT:
