The Making of a £40M Defender: How Milos Kerkez Became Liverpool's Top Left-Back Target

For any young left-back, the career of Paolo Maldini serves as a benchmark for excellence. The AC Milan icon, who secured 26 major trophies, is widely regarded as the ultimate standard for the position. It is notable, then, that during his tenure as Milan's technical director, Maldini personally advocated for the signing of a promising young left-back who was already making a name for himself.

That player was Milos Kerkez.

"You can't say no when Maldini calls you," Kerkez stated in an interview with Hungarian publication Nemzeti Sport, recalling his 2021 move from ETO FC Győr to Milan. Although he found first-team opportunities limited at the San Siro and moved to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar after a year, Maldini's assessment proved correct. Four years later, Kerkez is recognized as one of Europe's most promising defensive talents, securing a £40 million transfer to Liverpool after an impressive season with AFC Bournemouth.

Liverpool's sporting director, Richard Hughes, who had previously signed Kerkez from AZ while at Bournemouth, was a key figure in facilitating the move to Anfield. The Hungary international is the club's third major summer signing, following wing-back Jeremie Frimpong and playmaker Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. He was identified as the top target for the left-back position under manager Arne Slot.

A Profile of Loyalty and Determination

To understand Kerkez's character, one can look to his decision to represent Hungary internationally—a choice made possible by his paternal grandmother—instead of his birth country, Serbia. This decision was validated when he became the youngest player in 60 years to play for Hungary at a European Championship, taking the field against Switzerland at Euro 2024 aged 20 years and 221 days.

"He could have chosen Serbia," explains Bence Bocsák, a journalist and expert on Hungarian football. "I spoke to him about it once... 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... He's a very loyal guy and wherever he goes, he's always a fan favorite."

It was in Hungary that Kerkez's career began to flourish. After starting at Serbian club FK Vrbas and a period in Austria with Rapid Vienna, he joined Hungarian side FC Győr, where he made an immediate impression on the coaching staff.

"Milos came to us when he was 15," recalled Peter Tuifel, one of his coaches at Győr. "At first, he had some problems with the language... 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."

Miklos Herczeg, another of his coaches at Győr and a former Hungary international, added: "Milos stood out with his personality. He was wild and unbridled... His mentality was monster. On the field, he stood out with his courage, explosiveness, agility, and strong will to win." Herczeg noted that after a conversation about his tendency to criticize teammates, Kerkez made a concerted effort to change, understanding it was necessary for his professional development.

During his time at Győr, his position also evolved. The staff converted him from a No. 10 midfielder to a left-back to accelerate his path to the first team. "He was the youngest ever player to make his debut for Győr in the Hungarian first division," Bocsák says. "He was 16 and he was already their first-choice left-back. Six months later, he was spotted by Milan."