KIRKBY, ENGLAND – JUNE 26: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Milos Kerkez new signing for … More
Milos Kerkez had been linked with Liverpool for months. It was therefore unsurprising that the Premier League champions completed a deal for the Hungarian left back last week, signing Kerkez from Bournemouth for a reported £40m. He is seen as the Reds’ new long-term left-sided defender.
Andy Robertson has occupied that position in the Liverpool lineup for the last eight years. The Scotland international has earned his place in the pantheon of great defenders to have played for the Anfield club, but some of his performances hinted at Robertson declining as a physical force. Kerkez has been signed to replace him.
TOPSHOT – Liverpool’s Scottish defender #26 Andrew Robertson (L) and Liverpool’s English defender … More
This won’t be easy for Liverpool’s new boy, though. Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are the top two assisting Premier League defenders ever – with 64 for Alexander-Arnold and 60 for Robertson. The pair were a key part of Liverpool’s attacking game plan for the best part of a decade. They won everything during their time together on Merseyside.
Kerkez demonstrated for Bournemouth that he has many of the same natural qualities as Robertson. The Hungarian international has the mobility and willingness to get up and down the left wing. He is an excellent crosser of the ball. Kerkez is also still improving. His development isn’t yet complete.
“It’s a real honour for me, a privilege to come to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, [the] biggest club in England,” said Kerkez after joining Liverpool. “I’m just really, really happy and excited. After this, I’ll go home and enjoy a few days. Then I can’t wait to come back and put the training kit on and start to train and prepare for the season.”
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – MAY 25: Milos Kerkez of AFC Bournemouth is put under pressure by Kasey … More
It’s already been a transformational summer for Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold departed to join Real Madrid for the Club World Cup while Florian Wirtz arrived in a Premier League-record deal from Bayer Leverkusen. The German playmaker could have joined any of Europe’s elite, but he decided to join the English champions.
There will be more incoming and outgoing transfers at Anfield before the start of the 2025/26 season, but Liverpool has clearly made the decision to strengthen from a position of power. As Premier League champions, the club is now the most attractive in English soccer. Kerkez had also been linked with Manchester City, Liverpool appealed to him more.
Liverpool has been bold in its squad renewal programme this summer and the replacement of Robertson with Kerkez might be the club’s boldest move of them all. The time might be right to move on the Scotland international, but his long-term successor could find the job to be a challenging one.
