Liverpool may have another Joël Matip successor as perfect Virgil van Dijk partner emerges A new candidate to partner Virgil van Dijk has emerged recently in the Bundesliga who has the ideal style to suit Jürgen Klopp. Liverpool will have taken notice.

 Virgil van Dijk's place in Liverpool's starting XI in the left centre-back role has been undisputed ever since his arrival at Anfield. But as to whom his best partner is alongside him on the right flank, that has been a debated subject for many years.

Over the last few seasons, both Joe Gomez and Joël Matip have had impressive spells which has earned them recognition as Van Dijk's best partner and recently Ibrahima Konaté has also emerged as a strong candidate after solid displays during his first season at the club.

But it's not just a trio who are looking to play alongside Van Dijk. His compatriot at the club will have similar future goals even though his path has at least temporarily taken him away from Anfield for now.

After a solid year and a half in the Championship with Preston, Liverpool supporters saw a glimpse of him in the club's first team alongside Virgil van Dijk against Crystal Palace in pre-season. While that was a short sample with impressive results, to get a better assessment of Van den Berg's talents, his season in the Bundesliga will be a much better measure of his ability.

Van den Berg's loan to Schalke has the potential to be another masterstroke by Julian Ward, who has been prolific this summer in terms of sending out Liverpool's young fringe players onto valuable loan spells.

So far at Schalke, Van den Berg has been used in the right-sided centre-back role in a back four that is a lot more similar to Liverpool's system than Preston's was.

Van den Berg has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the side. The numbers prove that, too. He has averaged the most interceptions in the Bundesliga out of the league's current centre-backs (7.83 per 90), and has won 69.23 per cent of his 3.91 defensive duels.