Middlesbrough and Rav van den Berg stance as Feyenoord submit first bid for defender

Feyenoord’s initial proposal for Rav van den Berg fell short of Middlesbrough’s asking price, but the defender appears increasingly set to leave the club this summer.

The Dutch side made their first bid for the 21-year-old on Monday, and Teesside Live understands that Van den Berg has expressed his desire to leave the club. However, if Boro and Feyenoord reach an agreement on the sale, Feyenoord will be required to increase their offer.

Teesside Live does not know the exact fee Feyenoord bid, but reports in the Netherlands suggest it was only €10 million. Talks between the two clubs are expected to continue as they try to reach an agreement, with Boro likely seeking a higher guaranteed fee with potential performance-related bonuses and a future sell-on fee percentage attached.

Despite the fact that the two clubs’ values are now different, Boro appear to be resigned to losing the Dutchman this summer, after he declared his wish to talk with Feyenoord following their offer. He still has two years left on his Boro contract, but Feyenoord will need to strengthen their offer first.

Van den Berg, who chose Boro over elite European clubs after leaving PEC Zwolle two years ago, emphasized the importance of playing games in his decision. He thrived in his first season with the club, winning Player of the Year, but struggled to achieve the same heights last season due to injuries and inconsistent play.

Despite this, he starred for the Netherlands U21s at this summer’s European Championships, and numerous clubs sent scouts to Slovakia to see him. When asked about his future earlier this summer, he confessed he was aware of interest but claimed he would only consider a move if he believed it would provide him the opportunity to play.

That is most likely why Feyenoord is more appealing to him than some of the same elite clubs that are still interested in his services after missing out two years earlier. The Eredivisie club is short on defenders after departures and long-term injuries, and they intend to sign three centre-backs in total during the current window.