Liverpool's defensive ranks have undergone plenty of change in the past few years, and while Milos Kerkez is now the starting left-back, he wasn't the first target.
Milos Kerkez of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid
Milos Kerkez was not Liverpool's first choice in the transfer market last summer(Image: (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images))
Former Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has overseen a huge change in the squad over the past three years, but it could have been very different if the original targets had been signed.
The former Bournemouth man was hired to keep the Reds performing at the very top level in a post-Klopp era at Anfield, but it was his lack of change in the first season that caught the most eyes.
After only signing Federico Chiesa, Arne Slot guided Liverpool to a second Premier League title with a team that appeared to be winning from the muscle memory of seasons gone by.
The second summer transfer window brought a totally different approach, with record-breaking spending ensuring that Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong were among those to join the club.
That didn't go to plan at the first time of asking, with many of the incoming stars failing to hit the heights, while the team overall struggled to deal with the new dynamics.
In his third and final window, Hughes made more fine touches to the squad, adding Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz, and Ronald Araujo as his major contributions.
That has left Liverpool with some potential issues, with the midfield looking slightly unbalanced, while there are questions about both full-back ranks moving forward.
While right-back may finally be solved after some impressive displays from Araujo, the Reds are still waiting to see the best out of Milos Kerkez, who Hughes signed from his former club Bournemouth last year.
Milos Kerkez of Liverpool warms up before the UEFA Champions League match against Atletico Madrid
An error from Kerkez contributed to Atletico Madrid's opening goal against Liverpool at Anfield(Image: Photo by Alfie Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The Hungarian international wasn't the original first choice, however, as The Athletic recently revealed that PSG's Nuno Mendes was a key target.
The Portuguese left-back was nearing the end of his contract with Les Parisiens, leading Liverpool to believe that a deal could be done. Those hopes were dashed, however, when Mendes signed a contract extension, keeping the $44 million man at PSG for the foreseeable future.
That eventually caused the Reds to pivot towards Kerkez, who had impressed in his time at Bournemouth, and showed the energy, tenacity, and attacking qualities that the club was looking for.
A difficult first season under Slot had left many concerns about whether he could truly replace Andy Robertson, but the introduction of Andoni Iraola could allow him to shine once more, with the manager having gotten the best out of him in the past.
It remains to be seen whether that is possible, or if the Merseyside outfit will rue missing out on Mendes when the chance was there.