It’s claimed Liverpool has emerged as the preferred choice for Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez.
The rumor mill is churning once again this summer, with rivals Manchester City and Real Madrid also said to be in the mix. Kerkez, who is expected to receive his dream jersey number if he joins Liverpool, has caught the eye of those at Anfield following his standout season with Bournemouth.
In his second Premier League campaign, the 21-year-old has clocked up 37 appearances, netting two goals and providing five assists, with his team poised to achieve its highest-ever top-flight finish this weekend. Liverpool is also linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen winger Florian Wirtz.
The links to Kerkez are hardly surprising given that sporting director Richard Hughes previously signed the Hungarian for Bournemouth during his tenure at his former club.
With current first-choice left-back Andy Robertson’s Liverpool contract due to expire next summer and Kostas Tsimikas rumored to be on his way out in the upcoming window, a move for Kerkez could make sense.
On the other side of the pitch, Liverpool is set to bolster its ranks with the addition of Jeremie Frimpong, whose £30 million ($40.2 million) release clause should make the deal for the Dutchman straightforward.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, securing Kerkez might prove more challenging. The Cherries have reportedly slapped a £45 million ($60.4 million) price tag on the player, according to The Times in March.
Adding to the complexity are rival suitors, with City and Madrid both recently named as interested parties by The i Newspaper.
However, The Athletic suggests there may be little cause for concern, as he reports that Kerkez has earmarked Merseyside as his priority this summer.
While the full-back is touted as a top target for the Anfield hierarchy, counterparts in Manchester and Madrid reportedly view him merely as an option.
Yet this update indicates that the saga is not done, with club-to-club negotiations not yet advanced at this early stage. This could potentially gain momentum once the transfer window swings open on June 1.
Adding fuel to the fire, Kerkez recently liked a social media post discussing his status as a target for Liverpool, intensifying speculation about a possible summer switch to Anfield.
“I think we can find one or two extra weapons this team doesn’t have,” Slot recently said on transfers. “Maybe, maybe, by using the transfer market.
“That is what we are trying to achieve. That will make us only stronger. That is what we need because we saw City spending £200 million ($250 million) in the (January) transfer window. All of them will. Apart from the transfer window, we can also improve certain aspects ourselves.”
