For any aspiring left back, there can be no greater idol than Paolo Maldini. The AC Milan legend won 26 major honors across his stellar playing career and has long been regarded as the gold standard for left-sided defenders. It is significant, then, that during his time as technical director at Milan, Maldini personally fought to sign a promising young left back who was already marking himself out as a player to watch.
His name? Milos Kerkez.
"You can't say no when Maldini calls you," Kerkez told Hungarian outlet Nemzeti Sport, reflecting on his 2021 transfer from ETO FC Győr to Milan. Though the defender struggled to break into the first team at San Siro, joining Dutch side AZ Alkmaar after just one year in Italy, it is clear Maldini's instincts were right. Four years on, Kerkez is one of the most exciting defensive talents in Europe and has just earned himself a £40 million move to Liverpool following a superb campaign at AFC Bournemouth.
Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes, who signed the defender from AZ during his time as Bournemouth's technical director, was instrumental in getting Kerkez's move to Anfield over the line. The Hungary international becomes the Reds' third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of £30m wing back Jeremie Frimpong and £100m-playmaker Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, having been identified as Arne Slot's No. 1 target at left back.
But how did it all come about?
'It was easy to see he was going to blow everyone away'
For an insight into Kerkez's character, one only need look at the defender's decision to pledge his international allegiance to Hungary -- who he was eligible to represent through his paternal grandmother -- rather than his native Serbia. He was vindicated when he became the youngest player (20 years and 221 days) to represent Hungary at the European Championship in 60 years when they faced Switzerland in the group stage of Euro 2024.
"He could have chosen Serbia," journalist and Hungarian football expert Bence Bocsák tells ESPN. "I spoke to him about it once in an interview and what he said was Serbia never approached him when he was in the youth national teams, and Hungary did. He wanted to give back, maintain that loyalty towards Hungary and represent Hungary at the senior level as well.
"I think that just speaks of his character, what he's like as a person. He's a very loyal guy and wherever he goes, he's always a fan favorite. He's loved back in Hungary."
Indeed, it was in Hungary where Kerkez's career began to take off. Having started out at Serbian side FK Vrbas, the defender enjoyed a brief spell in Austria with Rapid Vienna -- where he was part of a strong cohort alongside Galatasaray winger Yusuf Demir and Union Berlin defender Leopold Querfeld -- before joining Hungarian side FC Győr, where he immediately caught the eye of the coaching staff.
"Milos came to us when he was 15," Peter Tuifel, one of Kerkez's coaches at Győr tells ESPN. "At first, he had some problems with the language because he only knew a few words in Hungarian, but he was so friendly and wanted to learn everything. Thanks to this mentality and personality he quickly fit in, he quickly became a leader on and off the field."
Former Hungary international Miklos Herczeg, who also coached Kerkez at Győr, adds: "Milos stood out with his personality. He was wild and unbridled. In the first team, we quickly noticed that he needed to work next to a mentor. This was Tamas Priskin, who played in England [for teams such as Watford and Ipswich Town.] He worked with him a lot on and off the pitch.
"Milos was always in the gym. When the gym was closed or full with players, he trained in the dressing room. His mentality was monster. On the field, he stood out with his courage, explosiveness, agility, and strong will to win. He did everything to win, and he liked the game to be about him.
"In those times, he often criticized his teammates. Once we had a conversation with him about it, he responded well and made an effort to change. He understood that he needed to change if he wanted to become a professional footballer."
It wasn't just Kerkez' attitude that changed during his time at Győr; his position on the pitch evolved, too. The coaching staff chose to convert him from a No. 10 midfielder to a left back in order to give him the best opportunity to progress into the first team.
"They transitioned him into that role and quickly he started playing in the first team as well," Bocsák says. "He was the youngest ever player to make his debut for Győr in the Hungarian first division. He was 16 and he was already their first-choice left back. Six months later, he was spotted by Milan and the rest is history."
But with game time limited in Italy, Kerkez decided to join Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar in January 2022, making 57 appearances during his 18 months at the club.
"In all those years, I have never seen a player who is so mature at such a young age," AZ's sporting director Max Huiberts told Dutch outlet NOS last year. "He had the total package. If he said he was 25 years old, you would believe it."
"He was impatient in the good sense of the word. He wanted to achieve the maximum very quickly and did everything for that, on and off the field. He also spoke to the older players if things needed to be improved.
"As strange as it sounds, I knew that he would be great at such a young age and would make an impact in the Premier League. I would have trusted few other players with that in all the time I have been doing this work."
Like Maldini before him, Huiberts was right to back Kerkez to excel. Across his two seasons at Bournemouth -- who he joined in the summer of 2023 for around £15.5m -- the Hungary international has developed into one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League, starting every league game for Andoni Iraola's side last term.
"None of it has surprised me because I've watched him for a long time and I think at AZ already you could see that he was going to be one of the best young players in his position," Bocsák says. "I think it was a really smart move for him to go to Bournemouth. The opportunity that he was given there -- the sales pitch that Richard Hughes made to him was really good. It was brilliant for him to play so many minutes in his first season. I think in his debut season in Premier League, he'd played the most minutes out of any player under the age of 21 in the league.
"Once he adjusted to English football, it was easy to see that he was going to blow everyone away."
Robertson's brilliance the benchmark
Having started out as an attacker, Kerkez has since established a reputation in forward areas as well as being a talented defender. His tally of seven goal contributions last term (two goals, five assists), was the second-most among left-sided defenders in the Premier League, behind only Fulham's Antonee Robinson (nine assists).
If Kerkez is to thrive at Liverpool, that output will be expected to increase. After all, he has been brought in to first compete with, and then to succeed, Scotland international Andy Robertson, who has cemented himself as one of the best left backs in Premier League history across his eight seasons at Anfield.
Only Trent Alexander-Arnold, with 64 league assists, is ahead of Robertson (60) on the list of defenders with the most assists in the competition's history. And while Robertson's powers looked to be waning at times last season, he has set the benchmark for what it means to be a modern Liverpool left back.
In terms of numbers, Kerkez and Robertson profiled quite similarly last term. Liverpool's new signing created eight big chances compared to Robertson's seven, made 412 passes in the final third to Robertson's 359 and made 166 progressive passes to Robertson's 235. Kerkez outperformed Robertson in terms of assists (five to one), though it was the Liverpool man who came out on top in expected assists (xA), with 4.26 xA compared to Kerkez' 2.58 xA.
Defensively, there was little between the players' respective numbers, with Kerkez winning 53.5% of his duels (compared to Robertson's 47.7%) and winning 39.4% of his tackles (Robertson won 37.3%).
At just 21, Kerkez still has plenty of room to grow and could benefit from training alongside a defender of Robertson's pedigree. There is, however, uncertainty over the future of the Scotland international, who is out of contract at Anfield in 2026 and has been attracting interest from Spanish side Atlético Madrid. Greece international Kostas Tsimikas -- who started 18 games for Slot's side in all competitions last season -- could also depart before the transfer window closes, with newly promoted Leeds United among his potential suitors.
Having commanded a significant transfer fee, expectations will be high for Kerkez to hit the ground running at Anfield, particularly if Robertson decides to seek a new challenge this summer. However, the Hungary international has already proven himself capable, with Bournemouth boss Iraola among those to have praised his development.
"Milos has improved a lot from past season, and he has done a great job, I think defensively," Iraola said in March, after Kerkez sprinted 43.6 metres from his own half to assist Marcus Tavernier in Bournemouth's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
"I think he's a player that, because of his physical condition, arrives so many times to the last third with the ball under control to put in good crosses. The number of assists, of good balls he was having, was quite low past season ... But this season, I think he's deciding much better.
"He's adding quality to his deliveries. He's more calm when he arrives [in the final third]. I think he spends a lot of time crossing and at the end of training we have to fight with him to bring him inside."
Certainly, that willingness to put in the hard yards in order to improve will stand the defender in good stead at Anfield.
Beth Lindop predicts a busy transfer window for Liverpool, and says Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez would be a signing that makes a lot of sense.
Kerkez could become 'best left back in the world'
Just a few days before Kerkez's Liverpool transfer was confirmed, the 21-year-old had cause for celebration when he was named on the short list for the Footballers' Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year award.
Kerkez is one of six Premier League players to be nominated for the prize -- former Bournemouth teammate Dean Huijsen and Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly are also among the nominees -- with the winner set to be announced at a ceremony in August.
Kerkez's inclusion on the short list offered yet another reminder of the defender's talent and showed exactly why Liverpool were prepared to spend big to land him this summer. Slot spoke last month about wanting to add "extra weapons" to his team, and the belief at Anfield is that Kerkez's pace and dynamism will be a huge asset as the Reds look to defend the Premier League title next term.
Bocsák is confident Kerkez is more than capable of rising to the challenge.
"I don't doubt that he can handle the pressure," he said. "People asked me that question about [Hungary international] Dominik [Szoboszlai] as well when he first signed for Liverpool and, in terms of their confidence, they're very similar characters.
"They believe in themselves, and they've got enough quality to go on and play for Liverpool for many years to come. I truly believe Milos will be the best left back in the world at one point in his career, and now he's at the best place to do it. He's joining one of the best clubs in the world and that's only going to bring out the best in him."
For his former coaches, Kerkez's rise has not come as a surprise. And there is hope that his journey from Győr to the Premier League will help to inspire the next generation of footballers in Hungary.
"It's always a great feeling to watch a match -- whether in the stadium or on TV -- featuring players whose development we had a hand in," Tuifel says. "But to see a player raised by Győr competing in the Premier League, for one of the strongest teams in the world, Liverpool, is the greatest joy and a source of immense pride.
"At the same time, Milos' career is a powerful message to the young players coming through our academy. He sets an example for them but serves as a source of motivation for all of us working at the club -- to raise as soon as possible the new Milos."