Man City hijack £50m star Liverpool thought they already signed
In recent years, Manchester City and Liverpool have established themselves as fierce and consistent rivals, regularly vying for dominance at the top of English football. Their intense battles for the Premier League title have defined the modern era of the competition. However, this season has seen a surprising shift in dynamics.
Under new manager Arne Slot, Liverpool are cruising toward the Premier League title, seemingly unchallenged by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who are now left scrambling to simply secure a top-four finish and preserve their Champions League status. The campaign has fallen short of expectations for City, and Guardiola will no doubt be determined to oversee a significant rebuild during the summer transfer window. Working alongside newly appointed sporting director Hugo Viana, the City boss is expected to push for key reinforcements to bring his squad back to the elite level.
Despite spending heavily in January, Manchester City are not expected to tighten the purse strings come summer. In fact, big names such as Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker could be moved on, prompting the club to seek suitable replacements to rejuvenate an aging core.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are also gearing up for a pivotal summer. The Anfield hierarchy remains fully supportive of Arne Slot, whose calm and composed debut season has convinced the board that he is the right man to lead their next era. With their title all but wrapped up, attention is already turning to summer recruitment, with reports suggesting Milos Kerkez is set to become the first signing of the Slot era.
Liverpool Leading the Race – But City Make a Late Entry
Milos Kerkez has been one of the standout full-backs in the Premier League this season, impressing with his performances for Bournemouth. The Hungarian international’s energy, defensive awareness, and attacking threat have turned heads across the top flight. According to several sources, Liverpool have made significant progress in their pursuit of Kerkez, believing that a deal is close to completion.
However, a new twist has emerged. Football Transfers reports that Manchester City have now entered the race, holding exploratory talks with Kerkez’s representatives in recent weeks. Although City are said to admire the young defender, the discussions reportedly did not go particularly well. The report claims that City were ‘far from impressed’ during initial conversations, which may be music to Liverpool fans’ ears.
City’s interest likely stems from their anticipated summer overhaul. Players such as Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku could also depart, and the club is preparing to reinvest strategically rather than recklessly. Kerkez fits their profile of a young, dynamic player with Premier League experience—but they are apparently reluctant to get into a bidding war with Liverpool.
Liverpool Focused on Replacing Robertson Long-Term
For Liverpool, the rationale behind targeting Kerkez is clear. Andrew Robertson, now 31, has been a vital part of the club’s recent success, but injuries and age mean the time has come to think about succession. Kostas Tsimikas has provided cover, but has not truly challenged Robertson for a starting role.
Adding Kerkez to the squad would create genuine competition at left-back, something Slot is known to value. The idea of rotating Robertson and Kerkez, or even phasing the Hungarian into the first team over time, is a strategy that makes long-term sense for Liverpool’s evolution.
As the summer window approaches, a number of high-profile moves are expected across the Premier League. Manchester City’s Jack Grealish could also be among those heading for the exit, while other clubs prepare for spending sprees of their own.
But in the case of Milos Kerkez, it still appears that Liverpool are firmly in pole position. With Bournemouth set to demand around £50 million, it would represent a massive return on their investment in the player. For Kerkez, it could be the perfect next step in his burgeoning career. And for Liverpool, it might just be the first move in a summer that shapes the Slot era for years to come.
