Kerkez has started every Premier League match this season for Bournemouth
Liverpool are planning to gazump rivals Manchester United and Manchester City to sign Milos Kerkez as Andy Robertson's successor at left-back.
The impressive Bournemouth defender has attracted an army of suitors since arriving in England in the summer of 2023.
The i Paper has been told Liverpool, City and United have already started to make contact with the player's representatives, but it is understood the 21-year-old favours a move to Anfield over the Manchester clubs.
A link-up with Liverpool director of football Richard Hughes, the man who brought Kerkez to England during his time on the south coast, is understood to play a major part in the Hungary international's thinking.
Bournemouth have no plans to sell in January, despite signing a ready-made left-back replacement in Julio Soler from Argentinian side Lanus already this month, in a deal that could rise to £11.5m.
There have been no concrete proposals for Kerkez as yet for either side. There is no pressure to sell from Bournemouth's point of view but offers in the region of £50m is where they are understood to be willing to do business.
This season, while all else around him has been near imperious during Arne Slot's impressive first season at Anfield, Robertson has showed signs of weariness after being a major cog in Jurgen Klopp's high-octane Liverpool machine.
The 30-year-old, for so long an immovable figure at left-back, has seen his place in the starting XI come under threat. Ever since Kostas Tsimikas walked in the door, the Greece international has been very much a back-up for Robertson. Now a growing number of supporters want to see the pair trade places.
Robertson's attacking threat has diminished this season. He and Trent Alexander-Arnold were a double act to be feared during the peak Klopp years, but Robertson is yet to register a single Premier League assist this season, from 18 starts.
Tsimikas stepped off the bench to set up Diogo Jota's equaliser at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday 20 seconds after coming on.
United are also very much in the hunt for a left-back, with Ruben Amorim making a major signing in that position a priority.
With Kerkez understood to be currently favouring an Anfield switch, Paris Saint-Germain's Nuno Mendes remains their top pick.
If a move for Kerkez does not materialise, for whatever reason, Wolves' Rayan Ait-Nouri is thought to be next on Liverpool's hitlist.
Hughes, however, is understood to be prioritising another Kerkez swoop.
The i Paper also understands that, contrary to reports, there is no Bournemouth interest in Liverpool forward Ben Doak at this stage and they will not entertain offers that involve swapping Doak for Antoine Semenyo.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...

Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...

Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...

Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....

Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...

Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...

Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...


