‘Liverpool and Richard Hughes look to squeeze Bournemouth over £45m Kerkez deal’
Liverpool want to pay less than Bournemouth’s demands for standout left-back Milos Kerkez this summer.
The Reds are not set to rest on their laurels in the wake of their Premier League title win in Arne Slot’s debut season in charge, with a busy summer window already underway.
Liverpool are closing in on signing Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, with former teammate Jeremie Frimpong already through the door, and they are also looking to bolster their left-back options with Andy Robertson linked to Atletico Madrid.
Football Insider revealed in March that Kerkez was a concrete target for Liverpool as they planned their summer business, and he is still wanted on Merseyside after an outstanding season on the south coast.
Kerkez’s cryptic message to Cherries fans after the campaign ended sparked rumours of an imminent move to the Reds, but he is still yet to leave Bournemouth with Liverpool instead prioritising other deals.
Liverpool want to bring Kerkez fee down after Bournemouth’s £45m valuation of his services
Liverpool have been heavily linked with Kerkez in recent months, but a move has not yet happened despite The Times’ recent report that they are set to fully pursue his services once a deal for Leverkusen man Wirtz is completed.
The Times have now provided an update on their pursuit of the 21-year-old, claiming that talks with Bournemouth are now expected to “accelerate.”
Liverpool could face a stumbling block as they seek to get a move sorted out soon, however, with the same report stating that Reds sporting director Richard Hughes is seeking to negotiate the Cherries £45million valuation for Kerkez down.
The former Bournemouth chief was responsible for the south-coast side signing the Hungary international from AZ Alkmaar in 2023, and the Cherries want to make a £30m profit on the 21-year-old after he joined for £15.5m [Daily Mail] from the Dutch side.
Kerkez will not be the last of Liverpool’s incomings if they reach an agreement with Bournemouth
Football Insider verdict
Liverpool won the Premier League last season in Slot’s maiden season in charge, and they are certainly not looking to slow down after a lethargic end to the campaign that will likely have reinforced their desire to be active in the transfer market this summer.
Wirtz is obviously set to be the most high-profile addition of their window, but he will definitely not be the last despite the Reds’ wage bill surpassing £400million for the first time in the 2024-25 season, as revealed by Football Insider.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 41 | 2 | 6 |
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike is a target for Slot ahead of the new season, but they will need to offload a forward to bring him in with Darwin Nunez expected to leave Anfield soon.
Football Insider revealed on Friday (13 June) that the Reds have been told it would take an offer of £75-80million to sign Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon this summer, so more big spending is likely alongside Wirtz arrival.
Whether they will be able to reach an agreement with Bournemouth for Kerkez is unclear right now, but they will surely push to sign him regardless of the fee soon, with Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas both needing competition after respectively tough seasons last time out.
They are clearly not short on money either, with football finance expert Dan Plumley revealing to Football Insider on 12 June that Liverpool’s revenue and recent on-field success means they can afford deals for Wirtz and other targets with relative ease in the coming months.