Liverpool face dilemma after exceeding non-homegrown limit | OneFootball

Liverpool Face Non-Homegrown Limit Headache as Kerkez Arrival Looms

Transfers Bring Excitement, But Rules Still Matter

There’s a buzz around Liverpool right now. A Premier League title reclaimed, Arne Slot settling into the dugout, and a flurry of signings before the summer heat sets in. Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong are already through the door, and Milos Kerkez is about to follow. The recruitment drive is deliberate, targeted and ambitious.

But amid all the fanfare, a familiar issue looms. Registration rules. Because while ambition might be limitless, squad quotas are not. And Liverpool are over the non-homegrown limit.

Kerkez, a £40 million arrival from Bournemouth, is expected to join next week. At 20, the Hungarian left-back looks a shrewd piece of business, especially given Andy Robertson’s patchy form last season and ongoing concerns over fitness and consistency.

Photo: IMAGO

Yet as it stands, Liverpool already have 18 non-homegrown players. That’s one over the Premier League limit of 17. Add Kerkez, and the number becomes 19. You do not need to be a UEFA Pro Licence graduate to work out that somebody has to go.

New Faces Mean Old Ones Must Move On

This is not a dilemma unique to Anfield. Clubs often sail close to the edge with these quotas. But this is where Richard Hughes earns his money. Because if Kerkez is to be registered alongside Wirtz and Frimpong, two existing names will need to be moved on.

Frimpong, developed at Manchester City, qualifies as homegrown. A neat loophole in an otherwise rigid structure. But others are not so fortunate.

X: @LFC

Among the 19 currently counting against the quota, a few stand out. Calvin Ramsay’s time at Liverpool has been plagued by injury and misfortune. After three difficult years, his name on the list feels more like a placeholder than a priority.

Photo: IMAGO

Elsewhere, names like Kostas Tsimikas, Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez and Federico Chiesa hover on the periphery. All of them valuable in their own ways, but also assets that can command decent fees should Liverpool need to balance the books or free up space.

Photo: IMAGO

Why Kerkez Fits and What It Means for Others

Slot wants players who can execute his high-possession, press-resistant model. Kerkez fits that mould. Quick, progressive, and with the ability to tuck into midfield or provide width when needed, his role under Slot could mirror the inverted full-back blueprint deployed across Europe.

Photo by IMAGO

But his arrival nudges Robertson closer to uncertainty, and Tsimikas even more so. The Greek international has been a loyal deputy, but Liverpool may now view him as expendable. The same may apply to other wide or attacking players if the club wish to address balance in other areas.

Photo: IMAGO

Sales on the Horizon as Liverpool Plan Next Moves

After making early progress, Liverpool are now over the non-homegrown limit, and that is likely to shape the narrative of the next few weeks. The club have rarely been reckless with squad construction, and that careful planning will now be tested under the new regime.

This is a numbers game as much as a footballing one. The limit is clear. The squad is bloated. And the message from the AXA Training Centre is clear: sales are coming.