Report: Liverpool have interest in 18 y/o with family ties to Anfield – but they’re at risk of missing out
Liverpool are reportedly interested in a teenage defender who already has family connections at Anfield, but they may need to move quickly if they want to sign him.
According to the Daily Mail, the Reds are among several elite clubs across Europe to have been credited with an interest in Rav van den Berg, whose older brother Sepp has been on the books in L4 since 2019.
However, it’s another Premier League side who’ve opened talks with PEC Zwolle over a move for the 18-year-old, with Brentford stealing an early march in the race to sign the 6 foot 3 centre-back, who’s considered one of the best prospects in Europe in his position.
The younger Van den Berg sibling has already made 32 senior appearances at club level, despite not turning 19 until next month, and he featured regularly as his side won promotion back to the Eredivisie at the first attempt (Transfermarkt).
As per Football Talent Scout, he stands out as a ‘complete and dominant’ centre-back with ‘very good pace and coordination for a player of his size’, while also being ‘technically capable of playing in various tactical systems’ and ‘extremely dominant in the air’.
The latter trait should come as no surprise given his height, while Jurgen Klopp may well be intrigued by the teenager’s tactical flexibility and pace, considering Liverpool’s tendency to play a high defensive line.
However, with Brentford having reportedly begun talks with the player, the Reds may need to step up their efforts if they want to bring another Van den Berg to Anfield, even if he’s likelier to go into the academy setup or be loaned out than thrown straight into the first team.
Also, the youngster may feel that he’d have a better chance of getting senior game-time in west London than on Merseyside, given how little his brother has played for LFC four years after signing for them (just four senior appearances).
News of the Bees’ negotiations with the 18-year-old may spark Liverpool into action – we’ll see what, if anything, materialises over the coming days and weeks.
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