Liverpool are reportedly advancing in talks to sign Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez as they prepare to finalise a deal for Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong.
On Monday morning, it was claimed that Frimpong was set to complete the second part of his medical with the Premier League champions, who have agreed to pay his £29.5m release clause.
Frimpong will become Liverpool's first signing of the summer window and will replace the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is expected to join Real Madrid at the end of his contract.
However, head coach Arne Slot is also facing a dilemma on the opposite side, as the long-serving Andy Robertson is now in his 30s and has suffered a noticeable decline in performances this season.
The Scotland international is only contracted to the Merseyside giants for another year too, while Kostas Tsimikas has been a perpetual backup and is unlikely to displace Robertson as a regular starter.
Liverpool 'completing agreement' for Kerkez
© Imago
Robertson is likely to at least see out the final year of his current contract with Liverpool, but Tsimikas could search for regular game time elsewhere, and a new left-back has been high on the Reds' agenda.
Bournemouth's Kerkez was quickly mooted as Liverpool's top target in that position, and Fabrizio Romano now claims that the Reds are making progress in their efforts to bring the Hungarian to Anfield.
The Premier League champions have supposedly made direct contact with the Cherries to discuss a deal for Kerkez, and negotiations are now heading in a positive direction.
In addition, Romano adds that Slot's side are 'completing the agreement' for the left-back on personal terms, and there should not be any issues on that front, as he is excited by the prospect of joining Liverpool.
Kerkez is likely to cost in the region of £35m to £45m, which would be entirely affordable for the Reds, while Bournemouth will make a healthy profit on the £15.1m they paid AZ Alkmaar for his services in 2023.
Since swapping the Eredivisie for England, Kerkez has scored two goals and set up eight more in 72 appearances for Andoni Iraola's side, netting both of his strikes and providing six assists in the current Premier League season.
The 21-year-old's side remain in with a chance of qualifying for the Conference League, as they are two points below Brentford in eighth place, which might be enough for Europe in specific circumstances.
What will Kerkez bring to Liverpool?
© Imago
Liverpool's current full-back dynamic has worked a treat, with Alexander-Arnold spraying marvellous passes from deep and Robertson charging up and down the left flank to deliver accurate crosses.
Kerkez will be a like-for-like replacement for the latter, averaging nearly three progressive carries per game this season, as well as 1.85 carries into the final third.
At just 21 years old, the Hungary international's game remains raw and will undoubtedly need tweaking, but Liverpool look set to land one of the most highly-rated full-backs in the country for a very reasonable fee.
Ben Knapton
