Bournemouth refusing to budge on £45m fee for Liverpool target Kerkez ...Middle East

Liverpool’s move for Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez will drag into next week at the earliest with no fee agreed yet for the £45m-rated defender.

The Reds have been locked in talks to sign Kerkez, who will provide competition with Andy Robertson for the left-back slot, but hopes of concluding a swift deal for the player this week have receded.

Sources say there is still “optimism” that a deal will be reached but The i Paper understands there remain a number of issues with the deal still to be resolved before an agreement that suits all parties can be reached.

Those close to Kerkez still believe a deal will be brokered and it is only a matter of time before the transfer is concluded but there’s a determination at the Bournemouth end to drive a hard bargain for the full-back, who they have consistently rated at the £45m mark.

Discussions on Kerkez are being led by Reds director of football Richard Hughes, formerly of Bournemouth, and his Cherries counterpart Simon Francis and the move has been in the works since January. But negotiations have stepped up significantly this week.

Having sold Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid after his release clause was triggered earlier this summer, Bournemouth can afford to demand big prices for the rest of their star assets. Kerkez also had interest from Manchester City and Real Madrid but always wanted to move to Anfield.

Liverpool are in the middle of a major revamp of their squad and are also in advanced negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over a move for Florian Wirtz that insiders believe will be a game changer for the Reds.

A first proposal of £109m was rejected last week with the Bundesliga side holding out for closer to £126m, but The i Paper has been told by sources in Germany that there remains a belief that the deal will be done.

The player himself made his preferences clear when he posted an Instagram message this week playing down reports he would ask for the number 10 when signing for Liverpool. He rejected Bayern Munich after talks earlier in the summer and Manchester City withdrew from the race citing financial concerns last month.

There is more intrigue over the future of Luis Diaz, though, who has attracted interest from Barcelona. An initial approach from the Catalan giants was rejected on Wednesday and Liverpool are not interested in selling Diaz, but the player himself appeared to open the door for an exit when he said he was “waiting to see what happens”.

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The 29-year-old is keen to sign a new contract but the Reds have no plans to open negotiations on a fresh deal for the player, who has two years of his current deal left to run.

If Liverpool do decide to cash in on Diaz, they could yet return to the table for Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon – who was a potential target a year ago when the Magpies needed to sell players to comply with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules(PSR).

While Newcastle want to keep Gordon, there is a feeling in some quarters that a big enough offer may tempt the club to do business.

Gordon, a Liverpool fan, was interested in making the move last summer but has since signed a new contract. He enjoyed mixed fortunes last season, struggling to return to the team after being suspended for the Carabao Cup final, but boss Eddie Howe rates him highly.

Liverpool’s transfer business under Hughes so far this summer has all the hallmarks of a methodical, strategic plan to improve the squad that won the Premier League title last season.

The club resisted the temptation to spend big after Arne Slot’s appointment and look set to reap the rewards of that, with moves for Kerkez and Wirtz significantly upgrading the best squad in the country.

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