“Showed his talents last season” – Watford enter four-team race to secure Liverpool transfer agreement: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Watford are the latest Championship club to enter the race to sign Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg.

As per the Daily Mail, the Hornets are one of four second-tier clubs interested in bringing the 20-year-old to their club on a season-long loan.

Burnley, Blackburn and Sheffield United are the other interested parties.

This update came after reports from Alan Nixon, via Patreon, claimed that Blackburn were leading the race to bring the Dutch youth international back to the second tier.

Van den Berg has spent the last season and a half on loan in the Championship with Preston North End, making 50 appearances in all competitions for the club across the 2021/22 campaign.

With the above in mind, we asked some of our writers here at FLW for their thoughts on whether van den Berg would be a good addition at Vicarage Road.

George Dagless

I think it could be.

I think Van den Berg has shown that he is a very astute young defender in the last couple of seasons, with some really good loan spells at Preston North End.

Fans of Preston were hugely impressed with what he produced for them and naturally wanted him to come back, though it looks as though he could end up elsewhere this summer.

Watford are obviously aiming to be in the promotion race this season and I think Liverpool will want that for the defender, so that could give the Hornets the edge here.

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Alfie Burns

It’s hard not to think that van den Berg wouldn’t be a good signing for most in the Championship.

One of the biggest compliments you can pay him is that the Preston fans love him after his loans there, whilst half the Championship chasing his signature now.

Watford have an advantage in that they can just about offer a nailed on push for promotion.

Obviously van den Berg would be walking into a really competitive squad, but he’d probably back himself to play a high number of minutes in any squad.

It would be more good business from Watford and will only fuel belief that, come the end of the window, they will be a squad in great shape to push on for a Premier League return.

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

This is an interesting one.

The Hornets certainly need a left-footed central defender, but at present, I’m not sure they need another right-footed one and van den Berg fits into that category.

For me, if Watford are interested in bringing him to Vicarage Road, one of their current options must be departing.

Having said that, I do believe it would be a good signing for the club.

Despite his tender age, van den Berg showed his talents last season when on loan at Preston North End, and having a full season in the division will only aid him if he does return to the second tier on loan.

It will be exciting to see who wins the race for his signature.