Liverpool are intensifying efforts to land Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, with talks ongoing over a potential £45 million deal for the Hungary international. The 21-year-old is Arne Slot’s priority target to strengthen the left side of his defence, and there is growing optimism at Anfield that a deal can be struck in the coming days.
Kerkez, who joined Bournemouth from AZ Alkmaar last summer, has made an immediate impact in the Premier League and is open to making the switch to Merseyside. The Reds’ position is further bolstered by the involvement of their new sporting director, Richard Hughes, who played a key role in bringing Kerkez to the Vitality Stadium during his time in the same role with the Cherries.
The defender’s ability to operate both as a traditional full-back and a more attacking wing-back appeals to Slot, whose tactical setup demands high-intensity wide play. Liverpool’s recent £29.5m capture of Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen has already added serious pace and verticality on the right, and Kerkez is seen as the ideal mirror on the left.
Kerkez’s arrival would likely spell the end of Kostas Tsimikas’s five-year spell at the club, with the Greece international expected to pursue regular football elsewhere should the Hungarian’s move materialise. Tsimikas has been a reliable deputy to Andy Robertson since arriving in 2020, but his opportunities have remained limited.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported last week that personal terms between Kerkez and Liverpool have already been agreed in principle. This week, he noted that both clubs are “working again” to advance the deal, with a breakthrough potentially close.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, are bracing for a summer of defensive upheaval. Real Madrid have triggered a £50 million release clause to sign young centre-back Dean Huijsen, while Ilya Zabarnyi has emerged as a target for Paris Saint-Germain. With multiple first-choice defenders attracting interest, Bournemouth are standing firm on their valuation of Kerkez, who is under contract until 2028.
Liverpool are hopeful that Hughes’s strong relationship with his former club will help ease negotiations, and the club remains confident of securing Kerkez before Hungary begin their Euro 2024 preparations in earnest.
Should the deal be finalised, Kerkez would become the second new signing of the Slot era, and a key piece in the Dutchman’s bid to inject youthful energy and tactical flexibility into his new look side.
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