Liverpool have agreed a £40m deal to sign left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.

The 21-year-old Hungary international is set to join the Premier League champions after two seasons with the Cherries.

Bournemouth have already signed Adrien Truffert from Rennes as his replacement.

Liverpool’s deal for Kerkez comes with the Reds close to completing a club-record £116m move for Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.

They have also signed Dutch right-back Jeremie Frimpong from the German club for £29.5m.

Serbia-born Kerkez began his senior career at Hungarian side Gyor before a move to Italian club AC Milan.

He failed to make an appearance for the Serie A outfit before a switch to Dutch team AZ Alkmaar in January 2022.

He helped AZ Alkmaar finish fourth in the Dutch top flight in 2022-23 when he scored five goals and provided seven assists in 52 appearances.

The Eredivisie side also reached the semi-finals of the 2022-23 Europa Conference League before being beaten by eventual winners West Ham.

Kerkez joined Bournemouth in summer 2023 when Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes worked for the Cherries.

He played all 38 league games last season as Bournemouth finished ninth with a club-record 56 Premier League points, with Kerkez contributing two goals and six assists.

Kerkez, who has made 23 appearances for Hungary, will join compatriot Dominik Szoboszlai at Liverpool.

His expected arrival at Anfield leaves the future of Reds left-backs Andy Robertson, who has been linked with Atletico Madrid, and Kostas Tsimikas unclear.

Liverpool are keen to retain Robertson and allow current back-up Tsimikas to leave, but they acknowledge that 31-year-old Scot Robertson may want to move on in search of regular football.

Why doesn’t Liverpool target Kerkez represent Serbia?

In terms of how Liverpool play football, Kerkez appears the perfect full-back.

Although former manager Jurgen Klopp’s ‘heavy metal’ style of fast-paced, high-pressing football has been adapted by successor Arne Slot, the fundamentals of aggressive pressing – albeit in a more structured way – and trying to win the ball high up the pitch still remain.

The 21-year-old recovered the ball 169 times last season – the fifth-most of any defender in the Premier League and more than any Liverpool defender. He also won the ball in the Cherries’ attacking third 11 times – the ninth most of defenders in the division and again more than any of his potential future Reds team-mates.

In a Bournemouth team that eventually finished ninth, the Hungary international created 34 chances from open play – the seventh most by a defender – and registered five assists, which placed him joint-fourth in that ranking.

His 142 crosses were the sixth-most and his eight big chances created was the seventh most among defenders.

In terms of ball progression, Kerkez passed into the final third 476 times – the 10th most times of any Premier League defender, while no Liverpool defender completed more dribbles than his 22.

The statistics show Kerkez is well placed to adapt at Anfield in terms of what Slot requires from his full-backs both defensively and offensively.

Bbc.com

Chelsea’s pursuit of Jamie Gittens has entered another day without any progress. The club has already started looking at alternatives in case the deal fails to materialise. Fans are growing increasingly impatient due to these unforeseen delays. To make matters worse, one of the Blues’ long-time targets appears set to join another club.

Apart from Gittens, Chelsea have also been linked with a number of other left wingers. Nico Williams is among them, as the Blues have shown interest in the player for a few seasons now.

However, Chelsea have been dealt a major blow, with reports indicating that the Spanish international has agreed to personal terms with FC Barcelona. A move to Camp Nou seems to be on the cards for Williams.

As reported by BBC, Barcelona have agreed personal terms with Williams. He has a €62m (£53m) release clause in his contract with Athletic Bilbao.

Chelsea target Nico Williams agrees terms to join Barcelona
One of the main reasons which is believed to have facilitated the deal is Williams’ desire to join his Spanish international teammate Lamine Yamal at Camp Nou. Now, it remains to be seen if he two clubs can reach an agreement or if Barcelona activate his release clause.

It’s true that Williams fits the profile of the player Chelsea are looking for perfectly. However, the club never pursued signing the Spaniard seriously, with his salary expectations believed to be an obstacle.

Chelsea are still the frontrunners to sign Gittens, who remains firmly committed to the personal agreement made with the Blues. Recently, the club has also identified a few other candidates, including Malick Fofana and Mohammed Kudus.

There’s still a lot of time left before the transfer window closes. So there’s still plenty of belief that the club will secure a reliable left winger in the form of Gittens or someone else this summer.

Theprideoflondon.com

Crystal Palace are bracing themselves for a formal bid from Liverpool for Marc Guehi, as they continue negotiations with Sporting CP over a potential deal for his replacement, Ousmane Diomande. With Guehi nearing the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park, the Eagles are prepared to cash in on their FA Cup hero to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2026.

Liverpool aren’t the only club interested in the 24-year-old, but Arne Slot’s Premier League champions are now emerging as clear favourites to secure Guehi’s services. Meanwhile, Palace are also ramping up their pursuit of Ivory Coast international Diomande.

The sought-after 21-year-old reportedly has a £68million release clause in his Sporting contract. While Palace aren’t ready to meet that figure, they’re willing to break their club-record to bring the talented centre-back to Selhurst Park.

Progress has already been made on personal terms, with Diomande open to the move and Palace maintaining good relations with player’s agency ROOF, who also represent left wing-back Tyrick Mitchell.

The Mirror claim that Oliver Glasner has personally approved a swoop for Diomande, confident in his potential and versatility within the Austrian’s three-man defensive line.

Newcastle United, long-time admirers of Guehi, are also keen on Diomande, as are Manchester United. However, Crystal Palace seem to be leading the race after intensifying their interest in the last 48 hours.

Negotiations are ongoing, but a significant difference in valuation between the clubs needs to be resolved before any deal can be finalised.

Selling Guehi would certainly boost Palace’s transfer budget, although Liverpool have indicated they’re willing to wait a year to sign him on a free transfer if necessary.

The England international has also attracted attention from Arsenal and his former club Chelsea. However, Liverpool appear ready to step up their pursuit of Guehi, especially with Jarrell Quansah nearing a £35m move to Bayer Leverkusen.

The deal for the England U21 star is almost complete and is expected to involve an initial fee of £30m plus £5m in add-ons.

Liverpool manager Erik ten Hag has been eager to strengthen his defence and had previously considered Bournemouth’s rising star Dean Huijsen before the Spaniard chose to join Real Madrid in a £50m deal. Interest in Ajax’s Jorrel Hato is still active, particularly with Andy Robertson attracting strong interest from Atletico Madrid.

Hato, who is also on Chelsea and Arsenal’s radar, can play either at centre-back or left-back.

Ibrahima Konate is approaching the final year of his contract at Anfield, and despite anticipated negotiations for a renewal, there’s a strong possibility he could see out his current deal amidst interest from Real Madrid.

Liverpool are on track to confirm the signing of Florian Wirtz for a record-breaking £116.5m, with the player currently in the North West undergoing medical examinations, and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is expected to join him soon.

Express.co.uk