Kerkez, who was born in Serbia, started his professional career at Hungarian side Gyor before moving to AC Milan. However, he did not make a senior appearance for the Italian giants and joined AZ Alkmaar in January 2022. During the 2022-23 season, he helped Alkmaar finish fourth in the Dutch Eredivisie, scoring five goals and providing seven assists in 52 games. That same season, AZ reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, where they were eliminated by eventual winners West Ham.
In the summer of 2023, Kerkez joined Bournemouth, where Liverpool's current sporting director Richard Hughes was working at the time. Kerkez went on to play all 38 Premier League matches in the 2023-24 season, contributing two goals and six assists, helping Bournemouth achieve a ninth-place finish and a club-record 56 points. He has also made 23 appearances for the Hungarian national team and will now link up with his compatriot Dominik Szoboszlai at Liverpool.
His arrival raises questions about the futures of current Liverpool left-backs Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. The club would prefer to retain Robertson while allowing Tsimikas to leave, but they recognize that Robertson, now 31, may seek a move for more regular playing time, with Atletico Madrid among the clubs reportedly interested.
Kerkez appears to be an ideal fit for Liverpool's playing style under new manager Arne Slot. Though Slot's approach is more structured than Jurgen Klopp's, it retains the principles of high pressing and aggressive play. Last season, Kerkez recovered the ball 169 times, more than any Liverpool defender, and led his position in several key metrics including successful dribbles, crosses, and chances created.
