Liverpool are in negotiations with Bournemouth over a transfer for left-back Milos Kerkez and his team-mate Justin Kluivert has admitted that he will be leaving soon
Bournemouth star Justin Kluivert has admitted that Milos Kerkez is on his way to Liverpool this summer. Liverpool are in talks to sign the Bournemouth left-back in the summer transfer window and the deal now appears to be a matter of time.
The Reds are currently focusing on a deal for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, having submitted a bid of £100million plus £14m of add-ons on Friday. But sporting director Richard Hughes is also working on a potential £45m deal for Kerkez, who could usurp Andy Robertson as the team’s first-choice left-back next season.
Kerkez is keen to move to Merseyside and withdrew from international duty with Hungary last week to step up speculation that a deal is close to completion. The Cherries have lined up a £14.4m deal for Stade Rennes left-back Adrien Truffert as a replacement for Kerkez and his team-mates are expecting the deal to go through soon.
Speaking after the Netherlands thrashed Malta 8-0 on Tuesday night, Kluivert revealed his feelings on the move. “He’ll probably go there. I hope so for him,” he told Voetbal Primeur. “He hasn’t really said goodbye yet, but I hope he’ll make it happen there.”
Kerkez will fetch a decent transfer fee for Bournemouth because he is under contract until June 2028. But he will be a big miss for Andoni Iraola’s side, having started all 38 Premier League matches last season and chipped in with two goals and six assists.
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Cherries technical director Simon Francis is the man tasked with negotiating the exit with former Bournemouth employee Hughes. With a deal for 23-year-old Rennes star Truffert lined up, everything is in place from their perspective.
Liverpool won the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s debut season but know they can’t afford to stand still in the summer transfer window. The club have already shown their intent by signing Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen for £29.5m to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Giorgi Mamardashvili is arriving from Valencia after being signed last summer to replace Caoimhin Kelleher, who left in a £18m deal for Brentford.
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Wirtz is the central piece of the jigsaw, but there is a feeling that Kerkez represents a serious upgrade on Robertson, who has been first-choice left-back since joining in 2017. The 31-year-old has one year left on his current deal but has insisted he is ready to fight for his place in the side.
“We’re not daft, it looks as if a deal could potentially be done,” Robertson told BBC Scotland. “But, until that is done, I’ve not even given that a second thought. I back myself, I’ve got confidence in my own ability and that drives me forward.
“I’ve had eight fantastic years at Liverpool in terms of winning trophies, being a mainstay in the team, which I’m incredibly proud of. I’m not getting any younger, I can’t change my age, but I still believe I’ve got a lot to give and that’s what I focus on. I focus on myself – you can’t focus on other people or who you’re competing with.”
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