If Andoni Iraola is appointed as new Liverpool head coach as expected he will be reunited with one of his project players from Bournemouth in Milos Kerkez.
Iraola is now in formal talks to take the Liverpool job as the club look to finalise Arne Slot‘s successor before the World Cup.
The Spaniard is expected to sign a long-term contract after the tough decision was made to part ways with Slot just two years into his reign.
It will comfortably be the biggest job of Iraola’s career so far, but he would arrive at Anfield with a strong reputation from his time in charge of Bournemouth.
Liverpool have agreed a fee for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez (Adam Davy/PA)
Kerkez made 74 appearances under Iraola at Bournemouth, and speaking to The Athletic‘s Caoimhe O’Neill last year, the left-back explained how the coach was getting the best out of him.
“I like to be aggressive but in a sporting way – in a football way, I like to compete a lot,” Kerkez said.
“As a full-back, you have to [defend and attack], but first of all is your defensive game.
“If you’re not a good defender, you’re not going to play or compete for trophies.
“Last season I had to work on my defensive awareness, to not switch off. I now stay focused for the whole game and I believe I’m doing both pretty well this season.
“If you want to be a full-back with Andoni Iraola, you have to be like this.”
Kerkez went on to add: “He is helping everyone to improve as a player and as a person. I’m really thankful he has trusted me.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (L) gets past Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
When speaking to BBC Radio Solent at the end of his first campaign at Bournemouth in 2023/24, the Hungarian outlined Iraola’s brand of aggressive, attacking football as “similar to what I am used to.”
“I expected the Premier League to be what it’s like physically so it’s not been difficult to adapt as I have the physical attributes for it,” Kerkez said.
“This season, I have grown a lot tactically and on the ball.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“Andoni Iraola’s football is similar to what I am used to with attacking a lot and playing on the front foot, it’s similar to my previous coach in the Netherlands.”
If any player in the current Liverpool squad is going to benefit from the switch from Slot to Iraola, it will likely be Kerkez.
It could prove key to moving into an era without Andy Robertson at Anfield, with Kerkez hopefully restored to the overwhelming presence that earned his £45 million move in the first place.