Reds to 'enter talks' for massive first summer signing with ruthless Slot to show unlucky star the door

Liverpool are ‘preparing to enter talks’ over the signing of Milos Kerkez, after learning the exact price Bournemouth will demand for the Hungarian and with Arne Slot now set to show a surprise player the Anfield exit door.

Slot has taken his time to assess the pros and cons of the Liverpool squad he inherited from Jurgen Klopp last summer, using his first season in charge to decide who fitted into his football ethos and which of those players would fall short. And with the capture of a new left-back seen as paramount this summer, the Liverpool manager, alongside sporting director Richard Hughes, has been assessing the merits of three players.

To that end, and having kept a close watch on all of Kerkez, Antonee Robinson of Fulham and Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri, it has now been decided to pursue the signing of the Bournemouth star – news which will come as no surprise to regular readers of TEAMtalk after we first broke the news of Slot’s interest in the Hungarian way back in September.

To help facilitate a potential move, our transfer insider Fraser Fletcher was also able to exclusively reveal that the Cherries star was to use the recent international break to hold talks with his agent to help grease the wheels over a potential summer switch to Anfield.

Now according to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for Rousing the Kop, Liverpool chiefs are poised to hold talks for Kerkez in an effort to seal an agreement ahead of the summer window officially opening for business.

Bailey states ‘there is a belief on all sides that an agreement will be reached in the coming weeks’.

And in explaining their decision to push for Kerkez, he noted: ‘Liverpool were intrigued with the options of Robinson and Ait-Nouri, but Kerkez’s age is understood to be one of the factors which has given him the edge.’

And given the player has already made clear his wishes to move to Anfield, it now seems a matter of time before an agreement is reached.

While the arrival of Kerkez will reinvigorate the left side of Liverpool’s defence, it is not good news for everyone. And according to Bailey, the capture of the former AC Milan man will result in a high-profile departure from Anfield this summer.

And while many feel long-term option Andy Robertson has suffered a pretty dramatic fall off in standards this season, Bailey understands that Liverpool are ‘ happy for the 31-year-old to remain at the club next season’.

However, with the Scotland international sticking around, Bailey claims it is his left-back understudy Kostas Tsimikas who will be sold off to the highest bidder this summer.

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How much will a deal for Kerkez cost?

Tsimikas can certainly consider himself unfortunate, given the player has rarely let anyone down at Anfield when called upon.

Signed in the summer of 2020 for a fee of just £11.8m, the Greece international is now in his fifth season at Anfield, having racked up 111 appearances in that time.

Sadly for the 28-year-old, though, Slot has decided that the 40-times capped full-back does not quite have the necessary qualities to succeed, despite having 18 assists to his name in that time.

As a result, it’s understood Liverpool will allow the former Olympiacos man to depart for a fee slightly in excess of that initial paid for his services.

And funds from that sale will be used towards the capture of Kerkez, whom The Times report has had a price tag of £45m – three times the fee spent by Bournemouth when prising him from AZ Alkmaar two years ago.

His sale, along with that of his fellow defender Dean Huijsen, will both be reluctant sales by the Cherries this season. However, the collective £95m raised from their sales (Huijsen has a £50m clause in his deal) will be reinvested straight back into the side. And more significantly, it will ensure Andoni Iraola’s side will not need to cash in on any more of their prized assets this summer.

Both Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo have also been linked with moves.

However, it seems Kerkez will be the first out the door and the player admits the temptation to hook up with his international teammate Dominik Szoboszlai will prove tempting, though he has been keen to stress he has unfinished business with the Cherries.

“It wouldn’t look bad [working with Szoboszlai at Liverpool], that’s for sure,” Kerkez said.

“But it’s too early to talk about something like that. I have big goals with Bournemouth, we still have a lot of games to win, that’s the most important thing right now.”

Liverpool latest: Alexander-Arnold U-turn claims; 17 G/A Prem star wanted

Meanwhile, we can confirm Liverpool are among the suitors for Matheus Cunha this summer with Arsenal and Nottingham Forest also on his trail and with the talented forward ‘set to leave’ Wolves for a big fee this summer.

His signing could be funded by the possible sale of Luis Duaz and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Luis Diaz could be allowed to leave this summer, with Arsenal one of four possible destinations, and with the Colombian just one of two big-name attackers who Arne Slot is open to moving on.

Meanwhile, FSG have been told that the deal to take Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is NOT DONE YET – and they could yet persuade the player to extend his stay at Anfield if they do one thing.

The prospect of Alexander-Arnold remaining at Anfield and snubbing the Spanish giants has also been talked up by Wayne Rooney.

IN-FOCUS: How Robertson and Tsimikas have compared this season

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