Manchester City want Bournemouth’s £45m-rated left-back Milos Kerkez – setting up a potential transfer battle with fellow suitors Liverpool.
The Reds have long been considered the frontrunners to sign the Hungary international, who is viewed as a potential successor to the experienced Andy Robertson, but The i Paper understands that City have made enquiries and are now viewed as genuine rivals for his signature.
The 21-year-old is high on Arne Slot’s wishlist and there have been a string of talks between the club and the player’s representatives in recent weeks. And while Kerkez is certainly interested in moving to Anfield, it is understood that Liverpool are yet to table an official bid for him.
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That has left the door open for City, who are looking at a major squad rebuild of their own this summer.
City are in the market for a left-back with Josko Gvardiol having moved inside in recent weeks. The versatile Nico O’Reilly played in that position in the FA Cup final but Pep Guardiola is in the market for another specialist left-back to give him more options and the new director of football Hugo Viana is understood to be a big fan of Kerkez.
Kerkez’s price has been set at £45m and given the interest in the player Bournemouth will expect their valuation to be met. His contract runs until 2028 and there is no release clause in the deal, lessening the need for the Cherries to sell as they plot their own recruitment drive to support head coach Andoni Iraola.
It appears as if Liverpool and City will be fighting over many of the same players this summer but the Reds have other options in that position. As reported by The i Paper last week, they are also tracking Ajax’s versatile 19-year-old defender Jorrel Hato in a move that could progress whatever happens with Kerkez.
Slot has spoken of it being a “big” summer at Anfield and they are now the only English club left in the race for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz after City dropped their own interest after being quoted astronomical fees to broker a deal for the £126m-rated attacking midfielder.
Sources still believe Bayern Munich are the most likely to secure his signature but Liverpool are in the running.
The Reds, though, have already missed out on Dean Huijsen, who opted to move to Real Madrid despite interest from eight other clubs who were prepared to trigger the £50m release clause in his contract. Liverpool made a major play for Huijsen, meeting the player and his agents before he decided on a “dream” move to the Bernabeu.
The summer transfer window is already shaping up to be a huge one for Premier League clubs, with executives noting a real desire to get business done early among the heavyweight sides. The Club World Cup is being cited as one reason but there is also a belief that there will be more liquidity in the market with concerns around profitability and sustainability rules having eased for some of the big guns.
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