Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, with the deal worth £40 million, making him the club’s most expensive full-back.
After undergoing his medical at the AXA Training Centre on Monday and into Tuesday, Liverpool have now officially unveiled Kerkez as their latest signing.
The Hungary international joins on a five-year contract after a £40 million package was agreed with Bournemouth last week.
Kerkez follows Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and goalkeeper Armin Pecsi into the club as the fourth signing of an increasingly busy summer.
The 21-year-old is expected to take up the role of first-choice left-back next season with doubts over the long-term futures of both Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas.
And his move comes after months of speculation over a deal, with contact made earlier this year before talks developed between sporting director Richard Hughes and his former colleague Simon Francis.
Bournemouth had initially sought a fee of around £45 million but the eventual agreement is closer to £40 million, which makes Kerkez the club’s record full-back signing.
Right-back Frimpong’s £29.5 million move from Bayer Leverkusen had already exceeded the long-held record outlay for Glen Johnson (£17.5m), with Nathaniel Clyne (£12.5m) and Alberto Moreno (£12m) making up the rest of the top five.
Liverpool’s deals for Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz and Pecsi bring their combined spending this summer up to £187 million, with more signings to come.
After officially becoming a Red, Kerkez told the club’s website: “It’s a real honour for me, a privilege to come to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, [the] biggest club in England. I’m just really, really happy and excited.
“I’m going to give everything – absolutely everything – to win trophies with the club and to hopefully score some goals at Anfield. I can’t wait to hear the roar. And see you soon.”
Kerkez is a energetic, attacking left-back who thrives in one-on-one duels as well as providing relentless overlapping runs down the flank.
He started every game in the Premier League in his second season at Bournemouth, ending the campaign with two goals and six assists in 41 appearances in all competitions.
Liverpool will be the eighth club of his career already, having previously played for sides in Serbia, Austria, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands.
That included a stint with AC Milan in which he faced Liverpool twice in the UEFA Youth League, and then later AZ Alkmaar – arriving at the Eredivisie side two years after Arne Slot vacated his role as head coach.
Slot will be familiar with Kerkez’s game from his time in charge of both Feyenoord and Liverpool, and can now look to integrate him within his new-look squad from the start of pre-season.
The Reds will report to the AXA Training Centre on July 7, with their first friendly of the summer coming against Preston on July 13.
That is likely to see Kerkez make his unofficial debut for Liverpool along with both Frimpong and Wirtz.
