There could be a huge summer on the cards for Michael Edwards and Arne Slot at Liverpool due to potential player movement in and out of Anfield.
Firstly, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at the end of this season, and it remains to be seen if any of them will put pen to paper on extensions on Merseyside.
Losing any of them would be a significant blow for Liverpool, as they are all regular starters, but Salah could be the biggest loss as he has scored 32 goals and provided 22 assists in all competitions this season.
Rather than finding a one-for-one replacement, which would be incredibly difficult to do, the Reds could sign players in several positions in hope that they all step up to make up for the goals and assists lost.
For example, Liverpool have been linked with a move to sign Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who they reportedly ‘appreciate’ and hold a long-term interest in.
Why Liverpool need to sign a player like Julian Alvarez
Salah has been Liverpool’s main source of goals from a right wing position and that has papered over the cracks in the front three, as Slot has had a problem in the centre-forward position this season.
Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez have both had attempts at being the main number nine for the Reds, but they have both failed to provide a reliable presence in front of goal. The former has scored five goals from 7.21 xG and the latter has scored five times from 5.28 xG in the Premier League.
These statistics show that Liverpool do not possess a ruthless number nine who can make the most of the chances that come their way in the box, which is why they need to go out and sign a player like Alvarez.
The former Manchester City man joined Atletico Madrid last summer to bolster Diego Simeone’s squad, and has proven to be a big hit in Spain with his performances at the top end of the pitch.
Starts
22
10
xG
8.86
2.38
Goals
11
7
Minutes per goal
166
113
Big chances missed
5
1
Assists
2
1
As you can see in the table above, Alvarez has outperformed his xG in both LaLiga and the Champions League this term, which shows that he can be ruthless in front of goal.
In fact, the Argentina international has only missed 26 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Atletico and Man City combined since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Nunez, for comparison, has missed a staggering 81 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Liverpool in that time, having joined from Benfica in 2022, which illustrates the stark difference in quality between the two centre-forwards.
The Reds, though, are also interested in signing a defender who could be as important of a signing as Alvarez in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool have held talks to sign Premier League star
According to journalist Bence Bocsak, Liverpool “have held talks” with Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez over a potential move to Anfield next season.
The reporter claims that the club “like” the Hungary international but that a transfer to Merseyside is not advanced at this moment in time, with nothing beyond those initial talks.
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Bocsak’s article for Anfield Watch expands on the news, adding that Liverpool wanted to sign Kerkez from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023, but the player decided to move to Bournemouth instead to play regular football.
The report reveals that Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on the Hungarian dynamo, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his services this summer.
Michael Edwards, though, must push to sign the left-back, who is reportedly valued at £40m by the Cherries, because he could be as important of a signing as Alvarez.
Why Liverpool need to sign Milos Kerkez
Liverpool are reportedly in the market to sign a replacement for veteran left-back Andy Robertson this summer, and Kerkez would be a dream signing to take the Scottish star’s place.
The Scotland international has been a terrific servant for the Reds over the years, racking up 66 assists in 336 appearances in all competitions for the club, as a consistent creative threat down the left flank.
However, Robertson’s powers appear to be waning. The 31-year-old star has failed to register a single goal or assist in his 27 appearances in the Premier League this season, along with just one assist in his eight outings in the Champions League.
He is heading towards the latter stage of his career and has not been as influential as in previous seasons, as shown by his lack of production in the final third, and that is why a new long-term left-back option should be a priority this summer.
Kerkez, at the age of 21, is ten years younger than Robertson and could, therefore, be the new left-back for the club for the next decade, if all goes to plan, which is one of the reasons why he would be such an important addition this summer.
The Hungarian star’s performances in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season also suggest that he would come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Liverpool defender.
Appearances
29
27
Goals
2
0
Assists
5
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
2.0
Clearances per game
2.7
1.3
Dribbled past per game
0.4x
0.6x
Ground duel success rate
58%
51%
Aerial duel success rate
33%
27%
As you can see in the table above, Kerkez has vastly outperformed Robertson with his play in and out of possession in the top-flight, as he has made a bigger impact at the top end of the pitch whilst being far more active and reliable defensively.
Wingers find it harder to get past the Bournemouth star, as he makes more tackles and interceptions whilst being dribbled past less, and opposition defenders find it harder to deal with him, as he has scored more goals and provided more assists.
Therefore, Kerkez could come in as a big upgrade on Robertson at left-back this summer, which is why Liverpool must push hard to get a deal done for him this summer.
As important as Alvarez and the addition of his finishing quality would be for the Reds, signing a Premier League proven left-back with the potential to be a key player for the next decade is equally as important.
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