There was scepticism about whether Arne Slot could replace Jurgen Klopp and continue a glorious era for the red half of Merseyside.
But so far he has proved everyone wrong.
Slot’s arrival at Liverpool in the summer now feels like the start of an exciting new chapter for the club. It wasn’t an easy transition, coming off the back of the iconic Klopp stepping down.
It might have hurt some fans, the German citing the need for a break, only to reappear at Red Bull just weeks later.
Indeed, when Slot took over, there were concerns about whether Liverpool’s top players would start to decline under his leadership. However, the reality has been quite the opposite.
The team has been relentless this season, playing with an intensity and purpose which has quickly silenced any doubters. Slot’s philosophy seems to have brought out the best in the squad and they are now favourites for the Premier League title.
Yet, challenges remain for the club in the medium to long term.
Some of Liverpool’s biggest stars have contracts expiring in June 2025. The futures of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are still uncertain.
But there are also ageing players such as Andy Robertson, who turns 31 in March. The Scotland international is by no means an oldie, but there is definitely a need for a replacement in the coming years.
Milos Kerkez is one name linked to the Merseyside club. He has been electric for Bournemouth this season, prompting links to Manchester United as well.
But is he the right man to become Liverpool’s next left-back? Let’s take a deeper look.
Milos Kerkez Transfer Value - how much is he worth?
According to our player valuation model, Kerkez has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €11m.
The Hungarian prodigy moved to the Vitality Stadium from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 for an estimated €17.9m.
Since being with the Cherries, his value has shot up significantly, but has yet to go any higher than the fee paid for him.
So, who is Milos Kerkez?
Despite being born in Serbia, Kerkez opted to play for the Hungary national side. He also began his football journey as a youth player in the country, playing for side ETO FC Gyor before moving to the AC Milan academy.
Indeed, he later signed for Dutch club AZ Alkmaar, where he made his first-team debut during the 2021/22 season.
By the 2022/23 campaign, Kerkez had established himself as a regular starter in the Netherlands, featuring regularly in a club once managed by Slot.
His impressive performances earned him a move to Bournemouth in the summer of 2023 and it was Liverpool’s current sporting director Richard Hughes who identified the defender and pushed for his move to England.
“I expected the Premier League to be what it's like physically so it's not been difficult to adapt as I have the physical attributes for it” Kerkez told the BBC at the end of the last campaign.
“This season, I have grown a lot tactically and on the ball. Andoni Iraola's football is similar to what I am used to with attacking a lot and playing on the front foot, it's similar to my previous coach in the Netherlands."
Kerkez operates as a wing-back for Hungary’s national team, which also contains Reds midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
At Bournemouth he’s been given the freedom to push forward in possession despite being given the role of left-back. He has a breathless recovery pace and strong one-on-one defensive skills.
Kerkez makes a high number of progressive carries (2.65 per 90 minutes) as well as touches in the penalty area (1.86 per 90 minutes). He is a player very much in the mould of Robertson, whose season has basically shown that he has reached his peak and now it’s a matter of regression.
For Liverpool, it’s a move that would make a lot of sense in more ways than one. But Kerkez has remained coy about the situation when asked about his future before.
"I am not occupied with transfer news, the people who take care of me deal with all of that, I am only focused on Bournemouth and my performances here. I know I am young, I know what I can do and what level I can get to, so I just have to see what happens in the future."
That future could be very soon if the latest rumours about this talented player are to be believed...
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