Man City ‘plotting move’ for ex-Liverpool player who never played a Premier League game under Jurgen Klopp

Manchester City are reportedly planning to make a move for a former Liverpool player who left the club before playing a single Premier League game under Jurgen Klopp.

After winning an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles, Manchester City have struggled to hit their usual stride in the early 2024/25 season. Currently, they trail long-time rivals Liverpool by five points, with Liverpool thriving under new manager Arne Slot, who took over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

City are reportedly considering a move for former Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg to strengthen their backline. Van den Berg, who joined Brentford in a £25 million deal over the summer, had previously caught Pep Guardiola’s attention during his loan at Preston North End. Guardiola’s interest was piqued after the 22-year-old impressed in a pre-season friendly against City ahead of the 2021/22 season, and he’s since remained on City’s radar.

Van den Berg made four cup appearances for Liverpool during the 2019/20 season but was eventually sold after a stint with Bundesliga club Schalke last season. Although German champions Bayer Leverkusen also showed interest, Brentford ultimately secured the defender on a five-year contract. Since joining, Van den Berg has made 12 appearances and helped Brentford match Tottenham Hotspur’s 18 points, putting them ahead of Manchester United in the standings.

According to FootballTransfers, City are unlikely to make a move for Van den Berg until next summer, as Brentford are unlikely to part with the young defender mid-season. If the transfer proceeds, Van den Berg could bring fresh defensive options to City as they work to close the gap with Liverpool.