Liverpool target Kerkez ditched surprise career before life-changing phone call
Milos Kerkez originally wanted to be a swimmer - now he's itching to make a splash at Liverpool following two remarkable seasons at Bournemouth. The tenacious Hungarian left-back's spectacular growth has certainly come as no surprise to the Anfield hierarchy.
Reds sporting director Richard Hughes, formerly of Bournemouth, played a fundamental role in the £15.5million deal that brought Kerkez to the Premier League with the Cherries in 2023.
The explosive AZ Alkmaar starlet, now 21, had already agreed personal terms with Lazio after netting against the Italians in the UEFA Conference League before a late intervention from Hughes swung the balance.
Bournemouth's pitch to the Kerkez family was centred around his development and unlocking his superstar potential. Their belief in his talent has since been vindicated in emphatic fashion after the all-action full-back was included in the Premier League's Fan Team of the Season following a stellar campaign under Andoni Iraola.
Kerkez's relentless energy and impressive consistency has charmed Liverpool, who regard him as the perfect heir to Andy Robertson's throne as club-to-club negotiations continue between the parties. However, his electrifying displays had also left a notable impression upon Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, among others.
Serbian-born Kerkez is no stranger to big-name interest, in fact, he already has a firm grasp and understanding of the dedication and quality that is required to succeed at one of the world's best clubs having previously signed for AC Milan from Hungarian outfit Gyor in 2021.
Rossoneri legend Paolo Maldini, Milan's sporting director at the time, had studied video footage of the fresh-faced prospect upon the recommendation of club scouts and he pulled out all the stops to pip Juventus to the highly-coveted teenager's signature. In a late dash to beat the transfer deadline, the Italian icon even sent a private jet to Hungary to conclude the deal.
Kerkez later explained: "They left no stone unturned, if Paolo Maldini calls you personally, then you shouldn't think too much, you have to go! As a child, I watched many videos of him, we talked a lot and he gave me lots of advice, when you're talking to the best left-back in the world, every word is worth paying attention to."
While Kerkez did not earn first-team minutes besides a practise match, he trained alongside the likes of Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and also played against a Liverpool side that featured Conor Bradley and Jarrell Quansah in the UEFA Youth League.
He was humble enough to concede that physically, he "could not compete" with Milan's array of high-profile stars but when the Serie A giants pushed to send Kerkez on loan, he instead opted to seal a permanent switch to AZ, where he caught the eye of Arne Slot, despite receiving various offers from Germany.
The Hungarian international no longer looks, nor feels, remotely out of place on the world stage and his impending arrival at Liverpool looks poised to propel Slot's champions to even greater heights. Kerkez's stunning rise to prominence, via six different countries, is a glowing reflection of not only his sacrifice - but his monstrous mentality.
Shortly after deciding to ditch his swimming aspirations to prioritise his football career as an eight-year-old, Kerkez - released from Hungary's national team camp on Saturday morning ahead of his impending switch to Merseyside - moved to Austria where he spent five years with Rapid Wien. When the world later stood still in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, he would pick the brains of Gyor team-mate and former Watford striker Tamas Priskin on what it was like to play in the Premier League.
Fast-forward five years and national treasure Kerkez is already on course to eclipse Priskin's 63 international caps for Hungary, having already made 23 appearances for his country.
Kerkez, whose old brother plays as a left-back for Aris FC in the Greek Super League, is poised to become the second most-expensive Hungarian ever following compatriot Dominik Szoboszlai's £60m switch to Anfield from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
5 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Benjamin Sesko 'decides' between Man United and Newcastle as transfer saga finally nears end
Benjamin Sesko has reportedly made his decision on where he will be playing next season following months of speculation. The RB Leipzig striker has been at the centre of a fierce transfer battle between Manchester United and Newcastle, with both clubs identifying the 22-year-old as a key summer target. Now, a report in Slovenia claims the highly rated forward has settled on his next move — and it could trigger a major shake-up in the Premier League 's striker market. According to Delo, Sesko has decided to join Newcastle , with the Magpies beating off strong competition from Old Trafford to land one of Europe's most promising young attackers. The Slovenian outlet reports that Newcastle's proposal won out after a drawn-out saga that saw Arsenal, United, and Newcastle all linked. Arsenal dropped out earlier this summer, opting instead for Viktor Gyokeres, while United had turned their full attention to Sesko after ending their pursuit of Aston Villa 's Ollie Watkins. United's interest was led by director of recruitment Christopher Vivell, who previously worked with Sesko at RB Salzburg and has described the 6ft 4in forward as having the potential to become one of the world's top strikers. Manager Ruben Amorim had also made him a priority, having already brought in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to strengthen the attack. But Sesko is now said to have chosen Newcastle — a decision that may be closely tied to the uncertain future of Alexander Isak. Mail Sport revealed on Friday that Liverpool had a £110million bid for Isak rejected, with Newcastle holding out for £150m. Isak is believed to be pushing for a move and has been training alone at former club Real Sociedad, having pulled out of the Magpies' pre-season tour with an apparent thigh issue. Newcastle have made clear that no sale will go ahead unless a suitable replacement is secured — and Sesko has long been top of their wishlist. The Bundesliga side signed Sesko from Red Bull Salzburg in 2023 and have an informal agreement to allow him to leave if a suitable offer is made. It is understood that Newcastle will be expected to pay Leipzig somewhere between £60m and £70m plus add-ons. Sesko scored 21 goals in all competitions last season and has 16 goals in 41 senior appearances for Slovenia. He has drawn comparisons to Erling Haaland for his blend of height, pace and technical ability — and is seen by Newcastle as a ready-made replacement should Isak get his wish. As for Man United, they may now be forced to explore alternatives. Amorim's side struggled badly in front of goal last season and were hoping Sesko would be the final piece in a new-look forward line. Rasmus Hojlund's future remains unclear, with the Dane insisting he wants to stay and fight for his place — but competition was always expected. United have also made enquiries about Brentford's Yoane Wissa, while Wolves' Jorgen Strand Larsen has been discussed too.
North Wales Chronicle
12 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Matt Bloomfield believes it was about time Luton had some luck
Back-to-back relegations had left the Hatters – who were a Premier League side 15 months ago – playing in the third tier for the first time since 2019 but after dropping out of the Championship in May their fortunes took a turn for the better when the Dons defender headed the ball over goalkeeper Nathan Bishop and in off the crossbar with five minutes to play. It was cruel on Wimbledon who had limited the hosts to a single shot on target until that point as they coped admirably with the step up after winning the League Two play-off final. Bloomfield, who took over in January but despite a strong finish to the campaign was unable to save the team from the drop, was asked whether he felt his side deserved their late good fortune. 'Yes,' he said. 'We feel like there's certain things that have gone against us over the last period of time. 'One thing you can't do is whine about it. All you can do is get on with your work, and you have to be grateful when the gods shine on you and give you a little bit of fortune. 'There were only two teams in the last 10 league games (last season) that got more points than us – Burnley and Leeds. 'But after being relegated you can't expect that everything's going to be looked on smoothly with sunshine and smiles.' Prior to the late winner, defender Reuell Walters had had Luton's only attempt on target in the 63rd minute, drawing an excellent save from Bishop with a half-volley struck from range. 'Relived and pleased to get the win,' added Bloomfield. 'Pleased with elements of the performance – the togetherness, the unity within the group. 'Frustration that we didn't create more clearcut opportunities and look more threatening. But pleased to get off to a winning start. 'We can't expect to click our fingers and get to the final product overnight. There's been a definite change of identity which we saw on show tonight. 'We're an evolving group, we're a new group. Now it's about getting better every week and keep working to where we want to get to.' Dons boss Johnnie Jackson, whose team were playing in the third tier for the first time since 2022, said: 'I'm gutted for my players and supporters. To lose the game in that manner was cruel. 'It's a fortunate goal from their point of view. They made us defend that situation, caught us in that position but that rarely happened to my team all night. I thought we defended brilliantly. 'To lose it on an own goal on the side of the bar is a hard one to take.'
South Wales Guardian
25 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Matt Bloomfield believes it was about time Luton had some luck
Back-to-back relegations had left the Hatters – who were a Premier League side 15 months ago – playing in the third tier for the first time since 2019 but after dropping out of the Championship in May their fortunes took a turn for the better when the Dons defender headed the ball over goalkeeper Nathan Bishop and in off the crossbar with five minutes to play. It was cruel on Wimbledon who had limited the hosts to a single shot on target until that point as they coped admirably with the step up after winning the League Two play-off final. Bloomfield, who took over in January but despite a strong finish to the campaign was unable to save the team from the drop, was asked whether he felt his side deserved their late good fortune. 'Yes,' he said. 'We feel like there's certain things that have gone against us over the last period of time. 'One thing you can't do is whine about it. All you can do is get on with your work, and you have to be grateful when the gods shine on you and give you a little bit of fortune. 'There were only two teams in the last 10 league games (last season) that got more points than us – Burnley and Leeds. 'But after being relegated you can't expect that everything's going to be looked on smoothly with sunshine and smiles.' Prior to the late winner, defender Reuell Walters had had Luton's only attempt on target in the 63rd minute, drawing an excellent save from Bishop with a half-volley struck from range. 'Relived and pleased to get the win,' added Bloomfield. 'Pleased with elements of the performance – the togetherness, the unity within the group. 'Frustration that we didn't create more clearcut opportunities and look more threatening. But pleased to get off to a winning start. 'We can't expect to click our fingers and get to the final product overnight. There's been a definite change of identity which we saw on show tonight. 'We're an evolving group, we're a new group. Now it's about getting better every week and keep working to where we want to get to.' Dons boss Johnnie Jackson, whose team were playing in the third tier for the first time since 2022, said: 'I'm gutted for my players and supporters. To lose the game in that manner was cruel. 'It's a fortunate goal from their point of view. They made us defend that situation, caught us in that position but that rarely happened to my team all night. I thought we defended brilliantly. 'To lose it on an own goal on the side of the bar is a hard one to take.'
