Liverpool is expected to be in the market for a new left-back when the transfer window opens. Jorrel Hato of Ajax and Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth are believed to be leading candidates.
It goes without saying that Arne Slot has had an incredible first season, winning the Premier League title. But after a quiet first summer in the transfer market, where he only brought in Federico Chiesa, he has also got a firmer handle on where the squad can still be improved.
The desire for a new left-back doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the road for Andy Robertson. But Kostas Tsimikas has not provided much by way of convincing cover this season, and the Scot has had some wobbles of his own.
A new addition would provide some more legitimate competition, as well as a medium-term succession plan. Whoever comes in would need to win the place off Robertson, just as he had to be patient to take it off Alberto Moreno in his debut season, but a passing of the torch at Anfield looks on the cards over the next season or two.
Kerkez and Hato are being discussed as two of the prime candidates. According to The Athletic, the Bournemouth defender is high on the list of targets, while the Ajax star is admired too.
Most fans will be more familiar with Kerkez, who has now been in the Premier League for almost two full seasons. This campaign has been a real turning point, with the Hungary international (he is captained by Dominik Szoboszlai on the national team) showcasing the quality to cut it at the highest level.
Interestingly, he also has a link with Slot, with both of them having previously been at AZ in the Eredivisie. The current Liverpool coach had left for Feyenoord before Kerkez arrived, but he will be particularly familiar with the left-back’s talents from their shared time in the Netherlands.
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As such, he will be aware that Kerkez is a pretty ideal Robertson heir on paper. Stylistically, he shares a lot of similarities to the prime version of the 31-year-old, who bombed up and down with relentless energy under Jurgen Klopp.
Six league assists this season speak to a player who has a familiar ability to put in a wicked delivery (though few will ever be quite up to the standards of peak Robertson in this regard). He is more than happy to be the one to move the team forward, driving along his flank with plenty of tenacity.
Defensively, he puts in a shift as well. There are more well-rounded options out there, but Kerkez is not as overtly attack-minded as someone like Jeremie Frimpong, who has been linked at right-back.
On the other side of the coin, Hato would be more of a defensive pick. He has split his career at Ajax relatively evenly between left-back and center-back.
Indeed, Hato’s arrival would dovetail nicely with the arrival of someone like Frimpong on the right. He would allow Liverpool to shift to a back three situationally, with the right-back bombing forward and the left-back tucking in.
Hato has the edge over Kerkez in all of the areas you’d expect. He is far better in the air, and he makes more tackles and blocks.
Having said that, the offensive part of his game should not be dismissed. His attacking numbers in the Eredivise are actually identical to those of Kerkez in the Premier League: two goals and six assists.
Hato also has the edge in his passing, playing a similar number of progressive balls at a far higher success rate. The quality of the respective leagues has to be taken into account, but it’s still an impressively well-rounded profile.
Additionally, the 19-year-old brings a rare blend of youth and experience. Hato is still so young, but has over 100 senior appearances, including games in the Europa League and the occasional donning of the captain’s armband.
But it ultimately comes down to Slot’s vision for the next evolution of his Liverpool team. It’s not quite a matter of comparing apples and oranges (or Oranjes, if you will), but Kerkez and Hato would send the team down different paths.
