Joining Liverpool, Milos Kerkez's Second Chance to Prove His Great Talent

Milos Kerkez is not an ordinary left-back. Paolo Maldini, the legend and former Technical Director of AC Milan, is someone who recognizes Kerkez's great potential at a young age. One of the best defenders of the 1990s specifically contacted Kerkez to recruit the left-footed player for AC Milan in February 2021.

Kerkez left Hungarian club Gyor to join one of the best teams in Italy and Europe, AC Milan. “You can’t say no when Maldini asks you to join,” Kerkez recalled to Nemzeti Sport some time ago.

However, the great potential of Kerkez could not be honed well with Milan. He did not receive any opportunity to play throughout a season in the fashion capital. At that time, Milan's coach Stefano Pioli considered Kerkez not yet ready to be the main backup for Milan's left-back, Theo Hernandez.

Without recording a single appearance, Kerkez moved to the Netherlands, specifically to AZ Alkmaar. It took only 1.5 years for Kerkez to rise from the setback of failing at Milan. In the summer of 2023, he was contracted by Bournemouth in the English League.

It turns out that fate and a good match for Kerkez with the club wearing the red-black jersey did not occur in Italy, but rather in England. With the Bournemouth uniform, Kerkez has been given a second chance to prove his quality and potential with one of the best clubs in the world today, Liverpool.

The candidate for the Best Young Player of the English Premier League 2024-2025 has become the primary choice of Liverpool Manager Arne Slot to regenerate the left-back position. Andrew Robertson's performance, which has been hindered by age, has compelled "The Reds" to seek a new main protagonist in the defense line.

Undoubtedly, Kerkez was introduced as Liverpool's third new player ahead of the 2025-2026 season on Friday (26/6/2025). He follows the duo from Bayer Leverkusen, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, who had already signed contracts and were introduced by the club based at Anfield Stadium.

Liverpool acquired Kerkez at a relatively low price of 40 million pounds, or approximately Rp 890.75 billion. The transfer fee for the national team's star player from Hungary is lower than his market value of 45 million pounds (Rp 1 trillion).

"This is a pride to play for one of the best clubs in the world, the biggest club in England. I am very happy and excited. I have known since May that there has been a serious approach (from Liverpool)," said Kerkez as reported on the club's website.

Not to be outdone, Kerkez mentioned two Liverpool players in his position as role models. They are Robertson, who will be a competitor for the starting position, and John Arne Riise, who was irreplaceable in filling the left-back position for the Reds in the early 2000s.

"I remember many club legends, such as Riise and Robertson, whose playing videos I have watched extensively. Both of them played like machines, and I really liked that. As a young player, I am eager to continue learning and improving myself in order to reach their level in the near future," said Kerkez, who is only 21 years old.

Kerkez has everything to become a new idol for liverpudlians in the left wing-back position. The tough mentality that is the main capital to become a player in a big club has been possessed.

His career journey that rose after slumping at Milan is proof of that.

He was born in a small town in northern Serbia, Vrbas. The town has a population of only about 20,000 residents and is located approximately 129 kilometers from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.

Certainly, he has become accustomed to being underestimated due to coming from a small town that is difficult to recognize unless one is a true geography enthusiast. Thanks to his hard work on the green field, the name Vrbas has also gained prominence. However, Kerkez prefers to represent Hungary, his ancestral land, specifically from his paternal grandmother's side.

Peter Tuifel, one of Kerkez's coaches during his time at Gyor, acknowledged that the player arrived in Gyor with many challenges, including his lack of knowledge of the Hungarian language. However, he quickly overcame those obstacles.

"He's very friendly and always wants to learn things. That's because of his mentality and personality to adapt quickly, so he can be a leader on and off the field and a fan favorite," Tuifel told ESPN.

His willingness to learn was demonstrated when he was directly guided by Tamaas Priskin, the coaching staff of Gyor at that time. Priskin had previously played for English teams, such as Watford and Ipswich Town.

The record of 74 appearances with Bournemouth, along with a collection of two goals and six assists, serves as a foundation for Kerkez heading to Anfield. When comparing his performance with Robertson during the 2024-2025 season, Kerkez appears highly promising in providing a quality enhancement for the Reds.

He is far fitter than Robertson. Playing an average of 88 minutes per game in 38 matches is evidence that Kerkez is able to maintain his physical condition. Robertson played 33 games in Liverpool's championship season with an average of 76 minutes per match.

In terms of goal contributions, Kerkez, who plays for a mid-table team, outperforms Robertson. The Scottish player has only produced one assist, while Kerkez has created two goals and provided five assists that resulted in goals for his teammates. Kerkez's crossing success rate of 27.5 percent is also more impressive compared to Robertson's 23.1 percent.

Kerkez also showed a more “fragrant” appearance in the defensive aspect compared to Robertson. This can be seen from the statistical comparison from Sofascore below.

One additional factor that makes Liverpool supporters rightfully optimistic about Kerkez's potential improvement at Anfield is the presence of Richard Hughes, the Sporting Director of Liverpool. Hughes previously served as the Technical Director of Bournemouth, where he recruited Kerkez from AZ. Hughes has a deep understanding of all the attributes required for Kerkez to become one of the best left-backs in the world within the next one or two years.

Not to be missed, Kerkez also said that the conversation with Slot had strengthened his determination to continue his career at Liverpool.

"We talked about tactics and plans, then he saw where I could develop and help the team. When the coach comes and talks to you, it is something significant and a massive sign of respect," said Kerkez.