Sepp van den Berg transfer: Brentford complete initial £20m deal to sign Liverpool defender amid Bayer Leverkusen interest | Football News

Brentford have signed defender Sepp van den Berg from Liverpool.

The centre-back was signed by the Reds for £4.4m in 2019 from Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle and made four senior appearances for the club.

Brentford have agreed to pay £20m up front for the defender – who has signed a five-year deal – as well as £5m in performance-based add-ons.

In addition, there is a 17.5 per cent sell-on clause.

The Bees beat off competition from German champions Bayer Leverkusen, who were ultimately not ready to follow through on signing the centre-back.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank said: “I’m very pleased that we have managed to sign Sepp. I think this is a great signing for the club and the team.

“Sepp is a centre-back with a good level and he has the potential to develop even further.

“He fits our culture and the way we want to play: he is quick, he reads the game well and is composed on the ball in the build-up and in the decisive defending actions.

“Sepp is a great character, and I am convinced that he will fit in well with the group and help us to push forward.”

Van den Berg has been watched for a long time by Brentford and the relationship between the two clubs is a positive one.

Frank’s side have already signed a Liverpool player in the transfer window this summer, with Fabio Carvalho joining in a £27.5m deal.

Carvalho spent last season on loan in the Championship with Hull City and also received interest from newly promoted duo Leicester City and Southampton.

He put pen to paper on a five-year-deal, which also includes the option to extend his stay in west London for an added 12 months.

Carvalho on why he left Liverpool

Fabio Carvalho revealed why he made the decision to leave Liverpool on a permanent basis to join Brentford this summer.

“I’m not going to just sit on the bench because what’s the point?” he told Sky Sports after joining Brentford from Liverpool in a £27.5m move.

“I want to play football and show the world what I’m capable of, and why I train so hard every day. I’m not going to be able to do that by sitting on the bench.”