Liverpool Confirm Signing of Sepp van den Berg from PEC Zwolle
In a statement on their official website, the Reds said the transfer will be completed subject to international clearance, with the 17-year-old agreeing a long-term deal at Anfield.
"It's just an amazing feeling," said the defender. "It is, for me, the biggest club in the world and it's a dream come true. I am really excited. I've seen what kind of players from the academy grew into the first team here. It is unbelievable, especially when this kind of big club does that."
The teenager added he is an admirer of manager Jurgen Klopp. Van den Berg said the German is a "great guy" and "also one of the reasons I came here."
Melissa Reddy of ESPN FC provided more details about the deal:
Despite his tender years, the defender played 15 times in the Eredivisie last term for Zwolle, who finished the campaign in 13th position.
Van den Berg is also a Netherlands under-19 international, having represented the Oranje youth side on four occasions.
According to Neil Jones of Goal, Liverpool pipped German champions Bayern Munich to the signature of the defender:
Sachin Nakrani of the Guardian commented on the challenges that await the youngster as he begins another chapter in his footballing career:
Liverpool are well stocked at centre-back, with Virgil van Dijk excelling in 2018-19 and winning the PFA Player of the Year prize. Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren all provided fine support to the Dutchman at times in what was a memorable previous term for the Reds, culminating in UEFA Champions League success.
The depth Liverpool have in the position extends to the youth setup. In addition to Van den Berg, they also have Ki-Jana Hoever, who is also a Dutch under-17 international. He made his senior debut for the Reds as a 16-year-old in the 2-1 FA Cup loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January.
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