Journalist Reveals The Story Behind Liverpool’s Move to Sign Milos Kerkez | OneFootball

Milos Kerkez’s Road to Anfield: How Liverpool Finally Secured Their Long-Term Left-Back

Liverpool have made their move, and this time it stuck. After years of keeping tabs on Milos Kerkez, the Hungarian full-back is now officially a Red. As Bence Bocsak’s detailed article revealed, this deal wasn’t a flash decision. It was years in the making, built on persistence, player loyalty, and long-term vision. Both from Liverpool and Kerkez himself.

This is more than just a signing. It’s the conclusion of a compelling footballing journey that took Kerkez from street football in Serbia to training with Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Milan, before breaking through in the Premier League with Bournemouth. And now, he arrives at Anfield ready to compete for the biggest honours in world football.

From Gyor to Global Attention

Kerkez’s path to Liverpool started far from the glamour of elite academies. “I started playing with my brothers at like four or five years old,” he recalled in his conversation with Bocsak. From those early years in Vrbas, Serbia, his talent was evident and his hunger insatiable.

After an unsuccessful stint at Rapid Vienna, he found his feet in Hungary at Gyor. Despite not speaking Hungarian at first, his impact was immediate. “I just heard there is a crazy guy in the 2003 group,” said his former coach Richard Henczi. Initially a No.10, Kerkez was soon moved to left-back, where his energy, aggression and offensive instincts blossomed.

Photo: IMAGO

He became Gyor’s third youngest debutant at 16 and didn’t take long to make a mark. As Henczi put it, “he had the mentality that a captain needs to have.” That mentality — aggressive, fearless, ambitious — carried him through a whirlwind few years.

Milan Move and Tactical Growth

In January 2021, his rapid rise caught the attention of AC Milan. When Paolo Maldini himself called Kerkez and his father, the teenager was understandably swayed. “When Maldini’s calling, you’re not thinking too much,” Kerkez admitted.

Though he only featured in the Primavera team, Milan proved formative. Training alongside Theo Hernandez and undergoing relentless video analysis sessions made Kerkez “grow up really tactically to play more clever and to use my head more on the pitch.”

Despite a dream debut in a pre-season friendly where he scored twice, Milan’s pathway to the first team never materialised. As Kerkez rightly noted, “every club has their philosophy how they work with the youth.” It became clear that he needed to leave to play senior football.

Breakthrough at AZ and Premier League Arrival

Turning down loans and seeking permanent playing time, Kerkez signed with AZ Alkmaar in 2022. There, he thrived under Arne Slot’s former assistant Pascal Jansen. Crucially, the Dutch club had a plan: integrate Kerkez after Owen Wijndal’s departure. “I would not have gone there if they didn’t tell me about the plan,” he explained.

The plan worked. Eighteen months later, he had matured into one of the Eredivisie’s standout full-backs. Bournemouth were the first Premier League club to act, selling a vision of first-team football that appealed to the young Hungarian.

It was at Bournemouth that Kerkez made his name in English football. Andoni Iraola trusted him, and he delivered. But the connection with Liverpool never went cold.

Persistence and Loyalty Pay Off for Liverpool

Liverpool’s interest dates back to his youth performances against their U19s in the UEFA Youth League. They reached out formally in 2023 but could not guarantee him a regular role. Bournemouth offered minutes, and Kerkez, still only 19, prioritised development.

Still, Liverpool never walked away. As Bocsak revealed, “the club remained in contact with him and… made contact to sign him all the way back in November.” The presence of Richard Hughes, now Liverpool’s sporting director and formerly of Bournemouth, was pivotal.

Photo: IMAGO

Kerkez’s loyalty also played a role. Just as he chose Hungary over Serbia for showing early faith, he recognised Liverpool’s persistence. “Liverpool was always his first choice,” Bocsak confirmed.

He even pulled out of Hungary’s recent national team games to ensure the transfer went through smoothly — a move that underlines his determination to reach the next level.

Ready for the Next Chapter

Now 20, Milos Kerkez arrives at Liverpool with over 60 senior appearances in top European leagues, Premier League experience, and a fearlessness that defines all top-level full-backs.

As his former coach Richard Henczi concluded, “I think he has everything to be in the top five or ten left backs in the world.”

With Andy Robertson entering the latter stages of his career and Kostas Tsimikas struggling for form, Kerkez is perfectly placed to stake his claim in Arne Slot’s exciting Liverpool project.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

This is exactly the kind of move Liverpool fans wanted to see. Milos Kerkez feels like the modern full-back tailor-made for Anfield. Tenacious, attacking, fearless — he’s built from the same mould as peak Robertson but with added flair and maybe even more top-end potential.

Fans will love that the club kept tracking him for years. That’s what a proper recruitment strategy looks like. Patience, persistence and having the right people in the right places — Richard Hughes clearly got this deal over the line, but credit goes to everyone involved.

It says a lot that Kerkez skipped international duty to protect the transfer. That’s the sort of hunger you want. It screams commitment. And it shows he wants to be at Liverpool, not just use it as a stepping stone.

Slot now has serious depth at left-back and, with Kerkez’s high pressing style and intelligence on the ball, it’s hard not to get excited. He’s got the attitude, the skills, and the ambition to be a fan favourite.

Let’s just hope we see him bombing down the flank at Anfield, whipping in crosses or flying into tackles, sooner rather than later. This could be the start of something special.