Bournemouth step up pursuit of Milos Kerkez replacement, Liverpool ahead of Manchester City in chase

Bournemouth are stepping up their work in the background to sign a new left-back amid Milos Kerkez’s expected departure in the summer.

According to The Mirror, Bournemouth are already looking at options in the market for a potential replacement for Milos Kerkez. The Hungarian left-back is attracting big interest from some of the big clubs, with Liverpool thought to be ahead in the race to Manchester City.

Milos Kerkez is widely expected to take up a new challenge in the summer after shining for Bournemouth this season. The Hungarian has plenty of top clubs chasing for his signature, with Liverpool reportedly preparing a move for him as well as defensive colleague Dean Huijsen.

The Reds are in the mix to bring a new left back as competition for Andy Robertson which would suggest the time might be up for Kostas Tsimikas at the club. Liverpool are already formulating an offer for Kerkez, with Bournemouth demanding upwards of £40 million in the current market.

Manchester City are also interested, although they are likely to target a move for Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso over Kerkez as per many reports. As Kerkez is expected to depart the club, Bournemouth are already looking for viable replacements in the market, as the report also suggests January arrival Julio Soler could be a candidate to replace the Hungarian star.

Bournemouth are still expected to reinvest a significant portion of the Kerkez sale into a starting left-back, as they will enter the market looking for bargain signings like the Hungarian. There are a few options they would like, as it will depend on the selling club if they are keen to offload.

Bournemouth’s left-back targets

The signing of Soler shows the club were planning for the future, although there are doubts about whether they see him as an immediate starter in place of Kerkez. Bournemouth were looking at Fran Garcia in January and reportedly retain an interest, although any move will depend on Real Madrid’s decision to sell the left-back.

Club Brugge’s Maxim De Cuyper is another option the Cherries are reportedly looking at. Whoever they sign, Andoni Iraola will come under pressure to make them produce performances close to that of Kerkez, which will prove to be a difficult task but not impossible.