Liverpool have signed Milos Kerkez and it means that they now have three senior left-backs in their squad.
Andy Robertson's potential Liverpool departure appears to have been put paid to.
The Reds veteran has been linked with a summer exit amid the arrival of Milos Kerkez. With Liverpool splashing out £40 million on Kerkez, it points towards Robertson's role becoming less prominent as Arne Slot's side defend their Premier League title.
The Scotland international has been a key player since his arrival at Anfield in 2017. Signed for just £8 million,the left-back has won eight major trophies at Liverpool - including the Champions League and now two Premier Leagues.
However, Robertson is aged 31 and Kerkez is 10 years his junior. The passing of the guard appears to be afoot. And heading into the final year of his contract on Merseyside, the former Dundee United defender confessed he was unsure about his future.
What’s been said
“We have discussed it, of course we have," Robertson told Sky Sports."We’ve had good discussions with me and the club but what the future holds I am not sure. “I need a rest after a long season and then I look forward to pre-season, that’s all my focus is, I can’t look too far ahead. I never have done that so I am not going to start doing that now.
“I know the position I am in and I have only got a year left and a lot is getting spoken about and getting said but my full focus is on being a dad for the next couple of weeks and enjoying that time with the kids. Then I will try to come back in the best possible shape for pre-season and then we’ll see what the future holds when these decisions come.”
When Robertson's name was linked with Atletico Madrid, it made total sense. The Spanish side have developed a penchant for signing Anglo-Irish full-backs, with Kieran Trippier and Matt Dochety making the switch to Diego Simeone's side in recent years. The left flank is an area that Atletico require improvements, having tailed off in the La Liga title race last season and finished third.
Los Colchoneros were linked with Theo Hernandez of AC Milan but opted against it. And with Robertson taking time on holiday to ponder his decision, it appears Atletico are not in a mood to wait. They are instead pressing on to sign Matteo Ruggeri from Atalanta in a deal worth around £17 million. As a result, it appears interest in Robertson may well have been cooled, with ESPN suggesting that is the case and that Ruggeri has verbally agreed to join Simeone’s outfit.
Whether Robertson departs Liverpool remains to be seen. Plenty of fans would be unhappy if he brought the curtain down on his L4 career. Kerkez is very much the future but that's not to say Robertson does not have a role to play. He's still an esteemed member of the dressing room and fewer games would potentially see him operate at a better level.
Tsimikas uncertainty
But Liverpool do not require three senior left-backs. If Robertson is now staying then surely Kostas Tsimikas may be the one to head for the exit door. Tsimikas has spent the past five years as Robertson's deputy. Kerkez's arrival pushes the Greece international further down the pecking order.
Still aged 28, there is likely to be interest in Tsimikas. Premier League clubs including Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have been linked, while the likes of Juventus have been credited with an interest in the past.
While he might not be in a rush to leave, a reduced role may see Tsimikas consider he options with more clarity. The ex-Olympiacos man also stated that he would like to play more minutes. His decision may well have been made for him.
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