Mainz 05 sporting director Christian Heidel has confirmed that Sepp van den Berg wants to rejoin the Bundesliga club.
The Dutchman enjoyed an impressive season on loan from Liverpool with the German outfit, making 35 appearances and scoring three goals as he helped them avoid relegation.
The Reds have since slapped a £20m asking price on the player’s head, much to his aggrievance who confirmed earlier this summer that he wants to leave Anfield.
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And while his future remains uncertain for now, Heidel has now admitted that the 22-year-old wants to re-join Mainz.
“The only one who has made a decision is Sepp,” he told Kicker. “He definitely wants to stay in Mainz. He has said that very clearly in public.”
Of his own future, Van den Berg recently told De Telegraaf: “When I didn’t get a chance again, I said: ‘Figure it out, I want to leave.’
“You (Liverpool) didn’t exude confidence in me all this time, but you do want to hinder my future. I want to keep playing every week and develop myself further.
“In Germany, I enjoy Dortmund away with 70,000 people, Bayern Munich away against Harry Kane, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Leverkusen, against clubs like that I am challenged every week.”
Reports in Germany recently hit out at Richard Hughes for Van den Berg’s move to Mainz ‘coming to a standstill,’ claiming he didn’t even know who the Dutchman is in a bizarre dig at the new Liverpool sporting director.
Bild quoted a source as saying: “The new sporting boss Richard Hughes has more important issues than a player who was on loan to Germany – I’m not even sure if he even knows Sepp van den Berg.”