Milos Kerkez is the only Liverpool player to be managed by Andoni Iraola, which could see him revert back to the attacking left-back the club broke records to sign.
Liverpool set a new club record for a full-back when they agreed a £40 million deal with Bournemouth for Kerkez last summer, having identified the Hungarian as Andy Robertson‘s successor.
The 22-year-old had a slow start to life at Anfield but showed signs of the fearless, attacking player that saw him named in the 2024/25 PFA Team of the Year.
With Iraola taking over at Liverpool, Kerkez’s role is in line to change again, but what could Liverpool fans expect from the left-back under the Spaniard?
With the help of FotMob, we take a look at how the 22-year-old compared at Bournemouth under Iraola in 2024/25 to his first season at Anfield under Arne Slot.
Milos Kerkez’s high intensity role under Iraola
Liverpool have agreed a fee for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez (Adam Davy/PA)
Liverpool have agreed a fee for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez (Adam Davy/PA)
Taking only Premier League appearances into account, it immediately becomes apparent that Kerkez was readily utilised in the final third under Iraola.
According to FotMob, he had 71 touches in the opposition box throughout 2024/25, took 19 shots across 38 league appearances (26 percent on target), and finished his campaign with seven goal contributions (two goals, five assists).
Kerkez created 36 chances, including eight big chances, and delivered 39 successful crosses, placing him in the top seventh percentile for players in his position.
Notably, under Iraola, he won possession back in the final third for the Cherries on 11 occasions, a figure which dropped to a measly two under Slot.
Iraola is well regarded for his team’s high-intensity pressing, forcing turnovers in the final third, and Kerkez was deployed with that in mind under his tutelage.
He wants his players to be proactive and brave, and his full-backs need to aggressively overlap or be capable of inverting, such is their key role in his tactical setup.
While Iraola’s side is not as possession-heavy as Slot’s, Kerkez averaged 59.57 touches per game under the former and 47.47 with the latter.
Although there is a clear discrepancy in the number of minutes the left-back racked up in 2024/25 compared to last season (3,342 – 2,260), there is a distinct difference in how Kerkez was utilised.
Under Slot, Kerkez was asked to play a far more disciplined, conservative role, prioritising structure and recycling possession rather than taking risks in transition.
It was not the case under Iraola in 2024/25, nor do we expect it to be next season.
A conservative role for Milos Kerkez under Slot
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 9, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (R) with Milos Kerkez after the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. Man City won 3-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 9, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (R) with Milos Kerkez after the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. Man City won 3-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
While Kerkez’s passing accuracy improved from 80.4 percent to 85.3 percent in a more controlled system under Slot, his attacking output was restricted.
He managed just nine shots last season, less than half of his output under Iraola, and his touches in the opposition box fell significantly from 71 to 43.
The drop-off in his creative metrics is clear: his successful crosses dropped from 39 to 15, and he created just three big chances compared to the eight he managed with the Cherries.
The 22-year-old needed time to find his feet under Slot, and most notably with the challenge of playing for a club the size of Liverpool.
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Milos Kerkez Under Iraola (24/25) Under Slot (25/26)
Starts (Minutes) 38 (3,342) 34 (2,260)
Goals / Assists 2 / 5 2 / 1
Avg. Touches 59.57 47.47
Touches in Opposition Box 71 43
Shots Taken (On Target) 19 (26%) 9 (22%)
Chances Created (Big Chances) 36 (8) 26 (3)
Successful Crosses 39 15
Successful Dribbles 22 12
Possession Won Final Third 11 2
Passing Accuracy 80.4% 85.3%
Total Duel Success Rate 53.5% 59.1%
Aerial Duel Success Rate 36.4% 50.0%
But it must be said his transition was not aided by Slot’s decision to utilise the Hungarian as an extra centre-back, which led to doubts over whether he was the right choice as Robertson’s successor.
Kerkez did not have as much defensive work under Slot compared to his time with Iraola, but there was a noteworthy improvement in his numbers.
His successful duel rate rose from 53.5 percent to 59.1 percent, while his aerial battles improved from 36.4 percent to 50 percent.
There is still room for improvement, but a season under Slot will see Kerkez report back under Iraola with a greater understanding of defensive positioning alongside his natural attacking ability.
What can Liverpool fans expect from Milos Kerkez in 2026/27?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool substitute Milos Kerkez during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 19, 2026: Liverpool substitute Milos Kerkez during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 248th Merseyside Derby, at Bramley-Moore Dock. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The data shows Iraola knows exactly how to build a system that will maximise Kerkez’s natural, aggressive instincts.
Rather than waiting for the game to come to him, expect the 22-year-old to be a key pressing trigger on the left next season.
He will be expected to win possession high up the pitch, which explains why his final-third recoveries were over five times higher under Iraola than Slot.
Supporters can expect his natural ability to take centre-stage, delivering the exciting, aggressive player many had expected to see from the off last year.
He’s far from the finished product, though, as Iraola himself noted when talking to All Red Video following his appointment.
“I only had, I think, Milos in the (my) squad before – I know a couple (of other Liverpool players), I’ve been talking to a couple before – but it will be lovely also to play again with Milos, try to improve him, try to help him in his development.”
FotMob is the essential app for every fan to keep up to date with their team or follow football worldwide, with new features including heatmaps for players.
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