Andy Robertson has undoubtedly been one of Liverpool‘s best signings of the Premier League era. The Scot moved to Anfield in 2017 for a transfer fee of just £8 million ($10 million) and has gone on to play over 300 times for the club, winning a number of major trophies in the process.
Robertson remains a first-choice pick for Liverpool but has endured some difficult spells this season, and it is sensible for the Reds to be planning for the future considering the former Hull player will turn 32 next season, and understudy Kostas Tsimikas is not deemed to be a viable replacement as a regular starter.
Jamie Carragher, on more than one occasion earlier this campaign, called on Liverpool to sign a new left-back, stating in January: “Liverpool need to sign a full-back. I think they need a left-back. I just think Andy Robertson, who is an absolute legend, is just hanging on in every game.”
Robertson has been more solid in recent weeks after notable mistakes against Southampton and Real Madrid in November, but Liverpool is still expected to address the left-back position during the summer transfer window, and the Reds have already been linked with a number of options.
Milos Kerkez has been the subject of transfer speculation linking him with the Reds since the beginning of the season, and that is due to the excellent form he has been in for Bournemouth. The 21-year-old joined the Cherries from Dutch club AZ in 2023 and has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best young defenders.
In a YouTube stream during January, Kerkez responded to rumors linking him with Liverpool in a manner that Reds fans wouldn’t have liked, saying: “I will not go to Liverpool. For everybody listening, I will not go to Liverpool.”
(Image: 2024 AFC Bournemouth)
It would be silly to read too much into that, though, given Kerkez was unlikely to say otherwise and risk piling unnecessary pressure on himself for the remainder of the campaign.
Another player who has been linked is Ajax teenager Jorrel Hato. The 18-year-old can operate as both a center-back and as a left-back, and it was reported in January that Liverpool was considering a summer swoop for the highly-rated youngster.
Liverpool already has a strong Dutch contingent in its squad, which would ease Hato’s transition to life at a new club were he to make the move to Anfield.
Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri is also an option, and at 23 years old he could be Liverpool’s left-back for the next decade. The Algeria international is now into his fourth season at Wolves so would not need time to acclimatize to the Premier League.
He could be more attainable if Wolves suffers relegation to the Championship, although a couple of recent wins have seen the Molineux club move five points clear of the drop zone.
