Liverpool ready to replace star just one year after record arrival | OneFootball

Liverpool appear ready to replace one of their summer signings. That's despite his record arrival.

Liverpool appear ready to replace Milos Kerkez under a year since signing him from Bournemouth. Kerkez became the most expensive full-back in the club's history upon arrival.

Kerkez has had an interesting debut campaign, too. The Hungary star began very, very slowly but has found his form in recent weeks. He looks a lot more comfortable in his role and should hopefully continue his development.

However, it seems Liverpool may not be all-in on Kerkez. In fact, they're reportedly looking at a replacement already - someone who could instead be the future of their left-back position.

Florian Plettenberg reports that Liverpool have been scouting Nathaniel Brown in person. Eintracht Frankfurt are open to selling the left-back but would want €60m.

Milos Kerkez: Situation Summary

Performance and Tactical Evolution

Kerkez initially struggled with the weight of expectation and the tactical shift from Bournemouth’s aggressive system to Arne Slot’s more controlled approach. His early form was met with significant criticism, notably after a match against Burnley in late 2025 where he was substituted after just 38 minutes. However, the turn of the year sparked a dramatic improvement in form. Since January 2026, his passing accuracy has risen by 12% to 86.5%, and his chance creation has nearly doubled to 2.1 per 90 minutes. Across 35 appearances this season, he has recorded one goal—a crucial strike against Brentford in October—and two assists, including a standout delivery for Curtis Jones in the 4-1 win over Newcastle in January.

Role in the Defensive Transition

The defender’s resurgence has effectively relegated club legend Andy Robertson to a secondary role, with Kerkez starting the vast majority of Premier League and Champions League fixtures in 2026. He played the full 90 minutes in the recent 5-2 victory over West Ham and the 2-1 defeat to Wolves on 3 March. Slot has praised his growing chemistry with winger Cody Gakpo, while Kerkez himself has publicly credited Robertson for his guidance during this transition. Despite his improved status, Kerkez has remained grounded, stating in a January press conference that he is "still not satisfied" and remains determined to help the club secure a top-eight finish in the Champions League.

Future Outlook and Competition

While Kerkez is the undisputed starter for now, his long-term position remains under observation as Liverpool continue to plan for the post-Robertson era. The club’s reported interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown suggests that Richard Hughes is keen to maintain high-level competition on the left flank. For the immediate future, Kerkez is expected to start in the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Wolves later today, 6 March, as he looks to help the side bounce back from their recent league disappointment.

Analysis

There's no question that Liverpool would want both Kerkez and Brown. No one is suggesting the former would be sold to make way for the latter.

Instead, Brown would replace the departing Andy Robertson. However, spending €60m on a new left-back just one year after signing Kerkez would absolutely be a suggestion that Liverpool feel they could do better in the role.

Brown would only join for that money if there were guarantees about being first-choice, while Liverpool would only invest that kind of money if it were for a first-choice. Kerkez would go from being the undisputed future in the position to someone hoping for enough chances to compete with.