Liverpool are reportedly hoping to retain the services of centre-back Sepp van den Berg amid interest from numerous Championship teams.
The 20-year-old is yet to have a breakthrough season under Jurgen Klopp and has been tipped to head out on to the lower leagues again in order to further his development.
Van den Berg plied his trade on loan at Preston North End for one-and-a-half seasons between January 2021 and May 2022, during which he came up with two goals and one assist in 66 appearances.
The Netherlands Under-21 international - who also featured as a right-back and right midfielder for Preston - started 43 Championship games last season and also faced off against his parent club in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
Van den Berg's path into the first team is blocked by the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip, although the latter two are currently injured.
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As a result, the Daily Mail claims that Liverpool are determined not to let the Dutchman go out on loan at this moment in time, although their stance could change towards the end of the window.
The report adds that as many as four Championship clubs have expressed an interest in signing Van den Berg on loan, with Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United, Burnley and Watford all monitoring his progress.
However, Klopp - who has already sanctioned a loan exit for Rhys Williams to Blackpool - does not want to lose another centre-back while his side are in need of defensive cover.
Van den Berg has only made four senior appearances for Liverpool since arriving from Zwolle in 2019, but he was on the bench for last weekend's 2-2 draw with Fulham in the Premier League.
Liverpool will be aiming to post their first top-flight win of the new season when Crystal Palace make the journey to Anfield on Monday, where Van Dijk and Gomez should form Klopp's centre-back pairing.
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Konate is still out with the knee injury that he sustained in a pre-season defeat to Strasbourg, and no timeframe has been placed on the 23-year-old's recovery.
Meanwhile, Matip is understood to have missed training earlier this week with a groin problem and has also emerged as a doubt for the visit of the Eagles, which should open the door for Van den Berg to make the squad again.
Nat Phillips is another centre-back who has been linked with a move away from Liverpool, and the 25-year-old was notably absent from the squad to face Fulham last weekend, with 17-year-old Stefan Bajcetic preferred.
A move to Bournemouth was mooted for Phillips, but the Cherries have since signed Marcos Senesi from Feyenoord, and Klopp has admitted that Konate's injury will influence his outgoings over the next couple of weeks.
Diogo Jota, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones and Caoimhin Kelleher are also confirmed absentees for Liverpool for Monday's first home game of the Premier League season.
Ben Knapton
