Liverpool Eyes Milos Kerkez as Dynamic Replacement for Aging Andy Robertson

Following an exceptionally quiet transfer period before Arne Slot's inaugural season, Liverpool have shown remarkable activity in the current summer window.

Their initial acquisition was driven by necessity when Jeremie Frimpong was secured to fill Trent Alexander-Arnold's position, though the same cannot be said for their expensive pursuit of Dutch star Florian Wirtz, the former Bayer Leverkusen teammate, with confirmation expected shortly.

However, Liverpool's transfer business is far from complete, and the announcement of Milos Kerkez's exciting signing is merely a formality at this point. The 21-year-old left-back has flourished at Bournemouth during the last two seasons and has secured his £40 million ($54 million) move to Anfield, where he'll challenge Andy Robertson for the starting position—unless the latter's potential transfer to Atlético Madrid comes to fruition.

Displacing the Scottish international won't be an easy task, but the 31-year-old's recent form has noticeably deteriorated, and the accomplished left-back confronts a significant challenge to maintain his spot in Slot's preferred starting eleven for the upcoming season.

Here's an analysis of how both players stack up over the previous two seasons.

Defensive Prowess

Robertson's offensive capabilities were initially his standout quality when he established himself as Liverpool's left-back choice, but he has consistently been a reliable defensive presence. Unlike Alexander-Arnold on the opposite side, there have rarely been concerns about his individual defending, positioning, or defensive awareness.

However, Robertson's performance levels have declined over the past two seasons, with Kerkez surpassing him defensively since joining Bournemouth before the 2023–24 campaign. In Premier League statistics, Liverpool's incoming player exceeds Robertson in tackle success rate, combined tackles and interceptions, and blocked shots per 90 minutes across both recent seasons.

While Bournemouth naturally face more defensive situations than Liverpool and operate in deeper areas, Kerkez's exceptional tackling ability—losing only 0.38 challenges per 90 compared to Robertson's 0.72 last season—is noteworthy. He demonstrates fierce determination in one-on-one battles and resembles Robertson in his younger days.

Offensive Contribution

Dynamic full-backs have become essential for Premier League elite teams, and Liverpool have adapted to this evolution in recent years. Nevertheless, under Slot's management, Robertson has had reduced freedom to advance forward. He recorded five goal contributions in 23 league appearances during Jürgen Klopp's farewell season, but this decreased to merely one assist in 33 matches during 2024–25.

Kerkez has experienced the reverse trajectory. He managed only one Premier League goal contribution in his debut season but improved significantly to two goals and five assists last term. The Hungarian received greater freedom to attack down the left flank under Andoni Iraola and provided consistent offensive support for the attack-minded Cherries.

It remains uncertain whether Slot will grant Kerkez similar attacking freedom, but he possesses the physical attributes and pace to cover the required distance. He demonstrates superior sharpness and speed compared to Robertson, whose body can no longer execute the explosive forward runs it once could.

Those forward ventures have also become less productive for Robertson. Last season, he was dispossessed 55.6% of the time during dribbling attempts, while Kerkez, who made more frequent dribbling attempts, was only dispossessed 33.3% of the time.

Final Assessment

There's no question that Kerkez represents one of the Premier League's most exciting young defensive talents. The rising star—nominated for the PFA young player award for 2024-25—is already delivering exceptional performances while possessing significant potential for growth. Collaborating with the veteran Robertson will accelerate his progress, particularly in ball distribution—one of the limited areas where Robertson still holds a clear advantage over the Hungarian.

He can equal the Scottish player's impact in both defensive and attacking phases, while his youth suggests he's less susceptible to fitness concerns and quick fixture turnarounds next season. A rotation system with Robertson next term appears certain, but Kerkez seems destined to become the primary choice in the near future.