Milos Kerkez for Andy Robertson: Why Liverpool Are Upgrading at Left-Back | OneFootball

After an incredibly low-key transfer window prior to Arne Slot’s debut campaign, Liverpool have been remarkably busy this summer.

Their first signing came about by necessity as Jeremie Frimpong was brought in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the same can’t be said of their lucrative move for the Dutch international’s former Bayer Leverkusen clubmate Florian Wirtz, to be confirmed imminently.

But Liverpool are far from done in the market and it’s now only a matter of time before they also announce the exciting arrival of Milos Kerkez. The 21-year-old left-back has blossomed at Bournemouth over the past two seasons and has earned his £40 million ($54 million) switch to Anfield, where he will compete with Andy Robertson for a starting berth—providing an Atlético Madrid transfer doesn’t materialise for the latter.

Dethroning the Scotland international won’t be straightforward, but the 31-year-old’s recent decline has been clear, and the decorated left-back faces an almighty battle to retain his place in Slot’s first-choice starting lineup next season.

Here’s how the duo compare over the past two campaigns.

Defensive Nous

Andy Robertson’s defensive performances were questionable last season. / IMAGO/Propaganda Photo

Robertson’s attacking threat was his greatest weapon when he first emerged as Liverpool’s left-back solution but he’s always been a steady defensive option. Unlike Alexander-Arnold on the other flank, there have seldom been question marks over his one-v-one defending, positioning or awareness in his own half.

But the past two seasons have seen a drop in standards for Robertson, with Kerkez outperforming him defensively since arriving at Bournemouth ahead of the 2023–24 season. In the Premier League, Liverpool’s imminent arrival leads Robertson for tackle percentage, combined tackles and interceptions and shots blocked per 90 minutes in both of the past two campaigns.

Of course, Bournemouth are asked to defend more often than Liverpool and in deeper positions, but Kerkez’s impressive ability in the tackle—he lost just 0.38 challenges per 90 to Robertson’s 0.72 last term—cannot be overlooked. He’s a tenacious battler in individual duels and reminiscent of a younger iteration of Robertson.

Attacking Ability

Kerkez provides plenty of threat in the opposition half. / IMAGO/Focus Images

Flying full-backs have become integral for the Premier League’s top sides and Liverpool have embraced the shift over recent years. However, under Slot, there has been less freedom to bomb forward for Robertson. He managed five goal contributions in 23 league matches during Jürgen Klopp’s final season at the helm, but that dropped to just a single assist in 33 games in 2024–25.

For Kerkez, it’s been the opposite. He produced just one Premier League goal contribution in his first season in the competition but that tally rose to an impressive two goals and five assists last term. The Hungarian was given more licence to maraud down the left-hand side by Andoni Iraola and he offered relentless attacking support for the offensive-minded Cherries.

Whether Kerkez will be offered the same offensive opportunities by Slot remains to be seen but he certainly has the athleticism and speed to cover the necessary ground. He’s sharper and quicker than Robertson, whose body is no longer able to make flying sprints up the wing like it once did.

Those darts forward have been less fruitful for Robertson, too. Last season, he was tackled 55.6% of the time when attempting a take-on, whereas Kerkez, who also attempted to beat players more often, was only tackled 33.3% of the time.

Final Verdict

It’s undeniable that Kerkez is one of the Premier League’s most promising young defenders. The starlet—a PFA young player nominee for 2024-25—is already performing at an extremely high level, while there is plenty of room to improve. Working alongside the experienced Robertson will only speed up his development, especially when it comes to distribution—one of the few areas where Robertson still significantly outperforms the Hungarian.

He can match the Scotsman’s contributions in both the defensive and attacking third, while his age means he’s less likely to struggle with fitness issues and quick turnarounds between fixtures next season. Sharing minutes with Robertson next term seems inevitable, but it appears likely that Kerkez will be first-choice sooner rather than later.

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