An interview for the ages has been published by the Daily Mail‘s Lewis Steele, with Milos Kerkez sitting down to chat about his childhood and the exciting era beginning under Andoni Iraola.
My first impression of Kerkez at Bournemouth was that he was a bit mental, hard-working, and very talented. In that sense, he is a great fit for Liverpool, where graft and character are required to make the grade.
A year on from signing for Liverpool for a £40m fee, and Kerkez has stalled a bit after the meandering guidance of Arne Slot left his role undefined and the future of the club shrouded in doubt and uncertainty.
The arrival of Andoni Iraola, however, offers hope and new ideas. To Kerkez, however, these ideas are familiar. Under the Spaniard’s guidance, the Hungarian full-back was named in the 2025 Premier League Team of the Season at 21.
The highlights from Kerkez’s interview with Lewis Steele
It’s hard not to begin with the excerpt that has already seen Liverpool fans on X in stitches.
Kerkez the truck driver
https://t.co/3Z3vUzkWgT pic.twitter.com/rImcEnaUWr
— Anfield Sector (@AnfieldSector) July 28, 2026
“I grew up a bit different in Serbia,’ said Kerkez, who apparently got bored of school holidays after barely more than a week*. “We grew up different. It’s just your job, do your own damn job.*
“For example, I started to drive a truck when I was 10 years old. I don’t know if it’s legal or not! It’s just a bit different. We’re more on the street. I don’t know. I can say 10 other things that I did when I was younger… I won’t. I gave you this example!”
Lewis Steele made it clear in the article that Kerkez was not alone in the truck, with his father, Sebastijan, present. He was “doing the pedals”, the Liverpool star said, although the idea of Kerkez running loose in the countryside in a truck is hilarious to consider.
Iraola’s appointment as Liverpool boss “delighted” Kerkez
When asked about what the arrival of Iraola at Liverpool means to him, the 22-year-old was quick to talk about the manager who helped him make the grade in the Premier League.
“I was delighted, honestly,” Kerkez said. “I worked for him before and he helped me and improved me a lot in the two years that I spent with him.
“I was really happy, obviously for myself but also for the team. Everyone knows what type of football he plays, I think he is the perfect fit for us.
“It’s the intensity. He’s not scared to play one-on-one all over the pitch, to press high and to be on the front foot always. If you see footage of how we all are after training – all lying down! – then you can see what he is preparing us for.
“He is very professional. He likes to talk sometimes but not a lot. Maybe he doesn’t want to get too close to some players and wants to show that everyone is the same in the team and doesn’t want to get too close to anyone in particular. He keeps it professional with a lot of hard work.”
Kerkez is a family man through and through
His father and his mother, Tijana, both live with Milos in Liverpool. His mom gives him lifts to training, which, as a millionaire and someone old enough to drive, is an insight into how close he is to his parents. In a sport where isolation and pressure can create a multitude of problems, it’s nice to hear that he has such a strong support base.
A likely friendship: Kerkez is mates with Paddy the Baddy
UFC fighter Paddy Pimblet AKA ‘Paddy the Baddy’ is apparently close friends with Kerkez.
When you consider the Liverpool star’s temperament, it’s no surprise to me that he would find common ground with someone like Paddy.
Kerkez said: “Paddy the Baddie! My dad met a friend, who is close with Paddy. Then my Dad met Paddy and I came and I met him. I follow UFC a lot. Nice guy… A Scouser. Crazy!
“My family are very important. My brothers have their own lives now but my parents are with me and I am much happier they are with me, my mum and dad.”
Szoboszlai and Kerkez: Liverpool’s fighters
When Kerkez made the move to Liverpool, it came after months of being the worst-kept secret in the transfer space. It was no secret that he and Dominik Szoboszlai were close friends from their time together in the Hungary National Team, and they have been inseparable since.
It does make me wonder if Kerkez is not a major part of why Szoboszlai decided to renew his deal with Liverpool when he would have had his pick of clubs in the world. Kerkez was also very close to Mohamed Salah, who has sadly left the club this summer on a Bosman transfer.
“We speak often,” Kerkez said of Mo. “I don’t know who he is signing for! We just talk about vacations. Andy helped me a lot. Like I said many times, he’s a legend. He did a lot of big things, won everything. He’s someone I look up to. Obviously, I’m here. I want to make my own thing.
“We all know what Andy (Robertson) did for the club, I’m not running away from that. I want to make my own way. I’m going to work hard. I know what it means to play for Liverpool. I showed it a bit last year and I am going to show it more this year.
“As for Mo, I saw on the TV before we left the AXA (training centre), how many goals and assists Mo had, it was 300 and something. I just walked out! What is this?!
“Time flies, a new generation comes with new players and hopefully everything will be good.”