Kerkez to Liverpool? Bournemouth man could be perfect replacement for Robertson

Liverpool moved swiftly to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, announcing the signing of Jeremie Frimpong on the same day his departure to Real Madrid was confirmed. They are enacting their left-back succession plan with similar efficiency.

There is of course a big difference in that, as things stand, Milos Kerkez will be arriving from Bournemouth to compete with Andy Robertson rather than replace him. But the need for fresh energy at left-back is clear as he enters the final year of his contract.

At 31, Robertson has shown signs of slowing down following eight years of brilliant service. His marauding runs up the left flank became less frequent last season as he adopted a more conservative role. Tracking data shows declining numbers for sprints and top speed.

He might not be unique in the same way as Alexander-Arnold, whose vision and passing ability are more typical of an elite central midfielder than a full-back. But replacing the qualities Robertson gave Liverpool at his best is still a huge task.

In addition to his tireless stamina and defensive nous, there was a level of creativity and incision not far off that of his more celebrated team-mate. Robertson is only five places behind Alexander-Arnold for chances created by Premier League players since his debut.

He is only eight assists short of Alexander-Arnold's total of 64 in the same timeframe, putting him fifth in a list led by Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah as one of only two defenders in the top 25.

His numbers probably merit greater recognition but it is easy to see why Liverpool have settled on Kerkez, fresh from an excellent season with Bournemouth, as his long-term replacement.

The Hungary international, signed from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in 2023, is a decade younger than Robertson at 21, with his best years ahead of him. Andoni Iraola offered an insight into the strides he has already taken in conversation with Sky Sports last month.

"I think Milos has made a big step up from last season," said the Bournemouth head coach. "He came here with all his energy, with all his hunger to show his level.

"But, especially mentally, he is now much more focused for the full 95 or 100 minutes. He is more reliable."

Kerkez's reliability can be seen in the fact that he was one of only six outfield players to start every Premier League game last season, racking up more minutes than anyone else at Bournemouth and playing a huge role in the best top-flight season in the club's history.

"He still has the volume offensively," continued Iraola. "He arrives in attacking areas a lot. But I think he has improved in the last third. If you compare his numbers from last season to this one, that is clear. He has done really well to make these steps at such a young age."

Kerkez contributed five assists and two goals in the Premier League last season, up from a solitary assist in his first campaign. His numbers for touches, passes and crosses rose significantly too as he embraced the challenge of taking on greater attacking responsibility.

Kerkez became Bournemouth's primary offensive outlet, with only Nottingham Forest directing a higher percentage of attacks down their left flank among Premier League sides.

All of which offers encouragement to Liverpool, who will also have noted the stylistic similarities between Kerkez and the man he might soon be tasked with replacing, especially given it was their sporting director, Richard Hughes, who signed him for Bournemouth.

Kerkez is an exceptional athlete with a level of energy similar to that of Robertson in his prime. Tracking data shows he ranked among the Premier League's top five players for both sprints and distance covered last term, displaying impressive robustness.

Just as significant, though, is the manner in which his energy is expended.

Kerkez, like Robertson, excels at getting to the byline and creating chances through cut-backs and crosses, as shown most memorably with his assists for David Brooks and Antoine Semenyo against Everton and Manchester City respectively last season.

According to GeniusIQ tracking data, Kerkez made more overlapping runs than any other Premier League player, with 213.

Interestingly, he offered a similar level of support on the inside of his winger as the outside. In fact, as well as ranking top in the division for overlapping runs, Kerkez was first in terms of underlaps, making nearly 50 per cent more of them than any other player at 137.

The variety of Kerkez's movement makes him difficult to stop and it helps that, like Robertson, he is capable of delivering diagonally from deeper areas as well as from the byline, as he did with the stunning cross for Marcus Tavernier's opening goal in Bournemouth's 2-2 draw with Spurs in March.

That assist came after driving run up the left flank following an interception deep in Bournemouth's half, highlighting the ball-carrying ability which comprises another of his biggest strengths.

According to Opta, only 12 Premier League players progressed the ball further through carries than Kerkez last season. It is worth noting that his average carry progress of 87.4m per 90 minutes was significantly higher than Robertson's at 76.1m per 90 minutes.

That ability to travel with the ball quickly and directly became a major weapon for a Bournemouth side who carry a huge threat in transition. It could be even more valuable to Liverpool given the emphasis placed on counter-attacks by Arne Slot, whose team ranked top for both shots and goals from fast breaks last term.

It is just another way in which he could help them. Of course, the task of replacing Robertson, and all he has offered Liverpool over the years, would be a daunting one for any player. But there can't be many better-equipped for the job than Milos Kerkez.