Liverpool have been given real belief that a deal for one of their top summer targets will be done after the player’s former coach gave Arne Slot a firm indication that his signing is well within their grasp, with recent comments from the player also giving the Reds reason for cheer
Liverpool have been given real belief that a deal for one of their top summer targets will be done after the player’s former coach gave Arne Slot a firm indication that his signing is well within their grasp, with recent comments from the player also giving the Reds reason for cheer
The Merseysiders are enjoying something of a dream first season under Slot’s charge and look well on course for Premier League title glory. Liverpool are already 11 points clear of the chasing pack and could extend that lead to a dominant 14 points on Wednesday evening with a win at Newcastle and if nearest challengers Arsenal fall to defeat at third-place Nottingham Forest
The Reds are also through to the Carabao Cup final, where they take on Eddie Howe’s side for the first piece of silverware this season on March 16, while a double-legged last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain is also on the horizon in the Champions League.
Liverpool’s incredible run of form this season – and Slot is currently boasting an impressive 73.81 win percentage record – is all the more astonishing given the Dutchman has only added one name to his squad since taking charge – that being the sparingly-used Italy winger Federico Chiesa.
However, all that is due to change this summer with Slot given what we understand to be an enormous £200m transfer kitty and gearing up for what has been described to us as a historic summer of spending.
Now the first of those signings looks poised to move one step closer in the form of Milos Kerkez.
We exclusively broke the news back in September that the Hungarian was on Liverpool’s wishlist and reports in recent weeks have confirmed they are indeed keen and are set to step up efforts to sign him this summer.
Rated at £40m, he looks well set to become the most costly signing of the Slot era to date if he finalises a summer move.
Now the player’s former coach, Richard Henczi, who guided the player in his formative years at Gyor in Hungary, claims a move to Anfield is there to be done.
“I think he’s ready to go to a higher level club [than Bournemouth],” Henczi told Anfield Watch. Who went on to say Kerkez is ‘ready to take the next step’.
The left-back has caught the eye in Andoni Iraola’s side this season as they chase down what would be a first-ever place in European football for next season.
However, a big-money approach from Liverpool would surely prove too good to turn down and Henczi reckons the 21-year-old has all the attributes to become one of the best full-backs in world football.
“I mean he has everything [to be one of the best left-backs]. I think he can’t be in the top five left-backs around the world if he plays at a smaller club. So it depends on his next transfer – how many minutes will he play there and how well will he play there?
“[Do they] play in the UEFA Champions League or just the Europa League and you know, these kinds of decisions. If he gets the chance, I think he has everything to be in the top five or 10 left-backs in the world.”
A move to Anfield could see Kerkez hook up with his international teammate Dominik Szoboszlai and the player himself admits that could prove tempting, though he has been keen to stress he has unfinished business with the Cherries.
“It wouldn’t look bad [working with Szoboszlai at Liverpool], that’s for sure,” Kerkez said.
“But it’s too early to talk about something like that. I have big goals with Bournemouth, we still have a lot of games to win, that’s the most important thing right now.”
Liverpool transfer latest: Mo Salah’s farewell hint; Nunez to Man Utd?
Meanwhile, Mo Salah has appeared to drop the biggest hint yet that his time at Anfield is drawing to a close after releasing an emotional-filled interview with former winger Steve McManaman for TNT Sports, which is due to be aired on Wednesday evening. A sneak peek into what Salah has said can be read here
Elsewhere, Kerkez might not be the only Bournemouth star heading to Anfield this summer with contact having been made over a deal for young Spanish defender Dean Huijsen. Real Madrid’s stance on a deal for the centre-half has also emerged.
Finally, Slot has explained what he’s found unacceptable from Darwin Nunez on more than one occasion, and with Liverpool fully expected to sell in the summer, Manchester United have been backed to make a stunning move.
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