Kerkez upgrade: Liverpool could sign £21m star who's a left-footed Trent

Arne Slot has confirmed that he will rotate his Liverpool team in the Premier League this season (finally) after last weekend’s title triumph.

A host of players have been reduced to bit-part roles under the new management, but the Dutch coach has said that “a few players will come into the team” across the closing weeks of the campaign.

Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah and Federico Chiesa will be among those looking for starting berths, but at left-back, it’s more of an uncertain situation.

While Andy Robertson remains Liverpool’s first-choice option to partner Virgil van Dijk on the left side of the backline, his influence has waned this season, mistakes creeping in and attacking contributions heading out.

Several Reds stars are going to be playing for their futures over the final four fixtures, and Kostas Tsimikas is sure to be one of them, having only started seven top-flight games all term. However, four of those have come across seven recent outings.

Liverpool are in the market for a new left-back this summer, and one of the experienced duo is sure to be sold to make room for a fresh face. Milos Kerkez is at the top of the list of contenders.

Liverpool’s interest in Milos Kerkez

According to The Times, Liverpool have placed Kerkez right at the top of their shortlist as FSG warm to the idea of signing a new left-back. However, Bournemouth want £45m for the 21-year-old and this is steep.

Described as a “machine” by Sky Sports’ Izzy Christensen, the Cherries defender has all the attributes to become one of Europe’s elite players, and so it’s hardly surprising that his outfit are ready to drive a hard bargain.

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes was the man who brought Kerkez over to England, signing the Hungarian talent from AZ Alkmaar for £15.5m in July 2023 while he was the transfer operator at the Vitality Stadium.

This season, Kerkez has been a revelation in Andoni Iraola’s system, frightening in attack and secure in defence. His completeness and athleticism have seen him emerge as one of the best young full-backs in Europe.

At £45m, Liverpool will be sure to consider their options, especially with Manchester City and Real Madrid also keen. Hughes has already lined up a potential alternative, and he’s an exciting one at that.

Liverpool chasing new left-back

Kerkez seems to be the top target for the Anfield side, but Liverpool aren’t limited in their scope. Indeed, journalist Bence Bocsak has recently reported that the Premier League champions have been extensively scouting an alternative option.

The man in question is Maxim De Cuyper, with the Club Brugge star impressing Liverpool recruiters with his performances in the Champions League this year. Arsenal are also interested.

De Cuyper, 24, is an active defender with a gas tank that refuses to be depleted. With Robertson hoping to stick around for a few more years, this could be the perfect profile to challenge the Scotland captain for a starting berth, especially since he’s got a rumoured price tag of €25m (£21m).

Why Liverpool should De Cuyper

Firstly, these reports suggest that De Cuyper could be available for less than half the price of Kerkez, and when digging into their respective skill sets, it does look as if the Belgium international has the quality to make just as much of a positive impact in Slot’s team – if not more.

A fiercely creative defender, De Cuyper ranks among the top 19% of full-backs across divisions similar to the Belgian Pro League for assists, the top 1% for passes attempted and shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

FBref have also recorded that De Cuyper’s Champions League performances this season put him alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold from a statistical standpoint, only reinforcing the argument that he would be a perfect fit in Slot’s squad.

When assessing De Cuyper against Kerkez, there’s a case to be made that his playmaking and roundedness make him a better fit than Kerkez, who is a fast-rising defender but a mite expensive at £45m.

The Club Brugge man has hit 11 goal contributions across all competitions this year, notably scoring against Aston Villa in the Champions League. Arsenal want him too, remember, so he’s doing something right.

Of course, the Premier League is objectively of a higher technical calibre than the Belgian Pro League, but the defender’s success in Europe’s elite competition emphasises his chances of hitting the ground running under Slot’s wing in England.

It’s interesting that the Belgian should produce such scintillating playmaking numbers – furthering the argument that he’s Trent-like – with his underlying metrics across other areas also suggesting that he could be a more complete and effective left-back upgrade than Kerkez.

Harking back to Robertson, the 31-year-old has failed to register a single goal contribution in the Premier League this season, so it’s no wonder Slot and Hughes are determined to improve that area of the pitch. De Cuyper has the traits that suggest he is the perfect successor.

This isn’t to say that Kerkez is ineffective from a playmaking perspective; far from it, the Hungarian has showcased an exciting desire to advance attacking play on England’s south coast this term.

But De Cuyper has that special something that could charge Liverpool’s left lane to another level entirely. Is it any wonder that talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as “one of the best left-backs currently playing outside the (Europe’s) top five leagues.”

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Liverpool need to find a way to stay ahead in creative metrics next season, especially if Alexander-Arnold leaves for pastures new in sunny Spain. Bringing in De Cuyper would be the perfect way to enforce this; he might even prove a better signing than Kerkez, and for a portion of the price.

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