Liverpool signing Sepp van den Berg resisted Bayern Munich's last-ditch approach to hi-jack Anfield move

Liverpool's newest recruit Sepp van den Berg resisted a last ditch attempt by Bayern Munich to hi-jack his move to the European Champions.

The Dutch teenager was in the process of undergoing his Anfield medical when officials from the Bundesliga club contacted his agent offering to gazump Liverpool’s bid.

But Van den Berg’s heart and mind was already set on the move to Merseyside where he will join the first team squad at Melwood and is likely to be part of the pre-season squad, including on the forthcoming tour of the USA.

The 17-year-old centre-back will formally sign a contract on July 1 and be nurtured under Klopp’s gaze at Melwood while featuring in Academy level games, but he has been signed to train with the first team in the expectation of eventually breaking into the senior side.

He joins the newly crowned Champions League winners from Dutch side PEC Zwolle for an initial £1.3 million, which might rise to £4.4m. To activate all the clauses the youngster will have to make as many as 350 appearances over the course of his Premier League and European career at Anfield.

Liverpool regard the deal similar to the signing of Joe Gomez from Charlton in the summer of 2015, bought aged 17 for a bargain £3.5m million in the belief it would take a few seasons to be established in the senior squad only to instantly impress and become part of the first team plans.

The difference at Liverpool nowadays is the standard of competition for defensive positions means Van den Berg will have to be more patient, although pre-season will offer an immediate opportunity to showcase his talent.

Van den Berg caught the eye of Liverpool scouts playing for the Dutch Under 19s and played 15 Eredivisie games over the last 12 months. He is likely to be one of the few new faces at Anfield before the Premier League kicks off.

Klopp said at the end of last season – barring unforeseen circumstances - he sees no necessity, and has no inclination, to spend significantly to improve the squad this summer.

Speaking before Liverpool’s 6th European Cup victory, the German coach was not bluffing when suggesting only minor tweaks are required ahead of the next campaign.

“I don’t want to talk exactly what we will do, but I don’t think this is a team at the moment where we have to spend the big money or whatever,” said Klopp.

“The best way to do it is bring together a group of players, try to develop them all together and then stay together for a while. And that was maybe the main problem of Liverpool for the last decade. When they had a good team after a season they went all over the world. That will not happen this year, for sure.”

Liverpool have been more proactive during the transfer window in previous years, but the pool of talent capable of breaking into the side is now significantly shallower. Only truly elite players can instantly challenge for a place in Klopp’s team, let alone expect to go straight into it given the quality of a side which collected 97 Premier League points in tandem to winning the Champions League.

Liverpool are in position to respond as and when necessary, but – in stark contrast to the early years of Fenway Sports Group’s reign - they have assumed a position of serenity amid European football’s transfer chaos.

Liverpool’s transfer policy was once a cause for derision. Now it is imitated, rivals scurrying around frantically seeking players of youth and quality with an eye on a longer-term growth in the hope major investment now will ensure quieter transfer windows in future.

As Anfield officials can testify, that demands patience – from board members and supporters.

Liverpool believe their Champions League win is the first tangible reward having for a squad with an age range ensuring it can challenge in the Premier League and Europe for at least the length of Klopp’s current deal, which runs until 2022.

There will be outgoings at Anfield, though, with youngster Rafa Camacho on the verge of joining Sporting Lisbon. That deal is expected to go through before the end of this week.