Liverpool to Set Sights on £45million Star After Florian Wirtz Signing – Opinion | OneFootball

Kerkez Can Be the Robertson Regen That Unlocks Wirtz Inside

As Liverpool prepare to celebrate their 20th league title, the work behind the scenes is already reshaping the flanks for a new era under Arne Slot. With Jeremie Frimpong’s arrival virtually complete and Florian Wirtz being lined up for a record-breaking move, the attention now shifts to another position—where Milos Kerkez has emerged as a serious contender to redefine the left-back role. The groundwork has clearly been laid for a quick and decisive recruitment period, as work begins to build a new dynasty side.

If the reports are true, Liverpool’s executive trio of Arne Slot, Michael Edwards, and Richard Hughes are not just rebuilding—they’re reengineering how the team attacks, starting with the wings. Where once the self proclaimed wing men of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander Arnold dominated their respective positions, a new formula and a younger generation of assets is being ushered in.

Kerkez: The Physical Evolution of Andy Robertson

When Andy Robertson arrived from Hull City in 2017, few expected the tireless Scot to become one of Europe’s premier left-backs, especially when his cost was the £7m that his former employer has paid for Kevin Stewart. His aggression, energy, and pinpoint crossing helped define Liverpool’s width during their Champions League and Premier League-winning seasons. But time moves quickly, and while Robertson remains an experienced presence, injuries and age have taken a toll as his form is sporadic.

Enter Milos Kerkez, the 21-year-old Hungarian dynamo currently impressing at Bournemouth. With a more physically commanding build than Robertson at his peak, Kerkez offers the same relentless forward thrust but with a touch more vertical dominance. He’s raw, aggressive, and fearless—traits that echo a younger Robbo but with added muscle and room to develop. His ability to power down the flank not only replicates the width Robertson once brought but provides a fresh, more robust edge to that side of the pitch. As a solid one on one defensive player, the £40m rated fullback offers tremendous value with Virgil van Dijk marshalling his movements through games.

Creating the Channels for Wirtz to Thrive

If Florian Wirtz is indeed Liverpool-bound, the question becomes: how do you get the best from him and his world class skillset? The answer lies in space, specifically the inside-left channel where opponents prefer offensive patterns of play to be control in wide areas. Wirtz is not a traditional winger—he’s a manipulator of zones, someone who drifts inside to create overloads and play through central corridors. For that to work, he needs a dynamic full-back outside him to keep the opposing defence stretched. Therefore, the aquisition of this ferocious specimen could be the most logical step.

Kerkez fits the desired profile perfectly. His overlapping runs would allow Wirtz to operate in more central areas where his creativity can flourish, especially with an ability to switch role with another Hungarian star, Dominic Szoboszlai. With defences drawn out by Kerkez’s width, Wirtz can exploit gaps with quick combinations, third-man runs, and disguised passes—traits that made him the heartbeat of Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen. Just as Frimpong will open inside lanes for Salah on the right, Kerkez can do the same on the left for Wirtz and equalize the creation stakes.

Full-Backs as Playmakers in a Structured System

Arne Slot’s model relies heavily on structure, positional discipline, and intelligent rotations. Unlike Klopp’s chaos-driven energy, Slot’s approach demands precise movement and balance, particularly from wide defenders. Full-backs are expected to be more than runners—they’re facilitators who create angles and space for the more creative players to operate. The initial season under the esteemed Dutchman has been remarkable, especially as he himself has had to adapt to the personnel at hand, something which is about to be rectified.

That’s why this summer’s full-back focus makes sense, with Trent leaving and Kostas departing also. Frimpong and Kerkez bring extreme athleticism, but also the football IQ needed to operate in a tactically demanding system. With the midfield likely to include more defensive figure like Adam Wharton or a new specialist anchor like Aurélien Tchouaméni, the full-backs will have the freedom to bomb forward knowing the base is covered and central defenders split. This, in turn, empowers Wirtz and Salah to operate closer to goal and in the spaces they influence best.

The Flanks That Fuel the Future

Liverpool’s next phase isn’t about mass change—it’s about intelligent refinement and innovation in tactical planning. By potentially securing Kerkez and already locking down Frimpong, the flanks are being rebuilt to feed the creative core. And if that core includes Wirtz, then these additions make even more sense. It’s a stylistic pivot that allows the magic to happen where it hurts opponents most—between the lines. A centre forward upgrade is almost certainly coming after the close of the campaign, which will again add a new dimension to the final third.

In many ways, Milos Kerkez could be for Wirtz what Robertson once was for Mané—a tireless, overlapping presence who allows the artist inside to paint without pressure. In this evolving Liverpool blueprint, the full-backs are not just support players; they’re the foundation of flair and it represents everything the skeptical fan base have been clamouring for.