Milos Kerkez joining Liverpool has been an open secret for quite some time now.
It wasn’t a case of whether or not this deal would happen, but a case of whether or not the transfer would be announced before or after the 2024/25 campaign was all wrapped up.
It still isn’t yet official but, per multiple reports over the weekend, it should be confirmed this week.
The fact Liverpool, a team famed for their shrewd approach in the transfer market, were willing to seemingly sanction a deal worth £40million for a left-back spoke volumes.
He wasn’t coming to Anfield to challenge Andrew Robertson for a place in Arne Slot’s starting XI. He was coming to displace the Scotland captain. It was that simple.
There may have been a bedding in period for the 21-year-old but, eventually, the left-back berth would be his at some point during the 2025/26 season.
Robertson, with just 12 months left on his current deal at Anfield, was going to have to settle for a campaign of transition. A season of frustration. From starter to squad player.
It happens to everyone.
It was the perfect time for the club. Kerkez is one of the best young left-backs in Europe. He has Premier League experience, two years with Bournemouth, and while he’s going to be a costly addition, the plan, no doubt, is for him to patrol the left flank for the next decade.
These players don’t often come onto the market. With Robertson having just a year left on his deal, signing his successor now made a lot of sense.
It wasn’t, however, the perfect time for Robertson.
Still just 31, he’s a little young to be accepting the role of a squad player. He’s not going to want to sit out the best part of a season on the bench while he still feels he should be a starter.
And no matter how he performs, the chances of him getting a long-term new deal at Anfield are slim.
The Reds aren’t in the business of handing out deals to players in their 30s. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, but does the former Hull man qualify for that category?
Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah did. But those two are performing at a high level.
Robertson, meanwhile, has been on the wane.
Physically, he’s not the player he was a few years ago. This is to be expected though. Jurgen Klopp ran the 84-cap international hard for six seasons. The mileage he racked up during those years cannot be overstated.
Across the 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2021/22 campaigns, the left-back missed just four Premier League matches. He’s appeared in a minimum of 45 matches in five of his eight seasons on Merseyside.
The drop-off was expected. It was a natural drop-off.
Errors started to creep into his game too. He had a torrid spell earlier in the season. Bukayo Saka ran riot against him. He was sent off against Fulham and gave away penalties against Southampton and Real Madrid.
The reliable Robertson was no more.
Despite amassing an expected assists (xA) haul of 4.26 in the Premier League, he claimed just one assist last term. The optics weren’t great.
He went from being defensively robust and a full-back with high offensive output to someone who would give up chances and didn’t do much in the final third.
There was no chance he was going to get a long-term deal at Anfield. Not when it was clear from early on in the season that Kerkez was wanted.
Liverpool likely would’ve offered him a one-year extension or let him leave for free at the end of the 2025/26 campaign having played a bit-part role. His stock would’ve been low, his options limited.
The contract offer from the club likely would’ve been on reduced terms too. Right now, he’s one of the highest earners at Anfield, pocketing a reported £160,000-per-week or just shy of £8.5million per year.
In truth, there was no incentive for Robertson to accept a reduced role at Liverpool for the upcoming season. A potential move shouldn’t have come as a shock. The destination, perhaps, should have.
Atletico Madrid want the 31-year-old and have him at the top of their list ahead of Theo Hernandez.
It is a move that makes sense for everyone.
The LaLiga side get an experienced left-back without having to break the bank. Reports over the weekend claimed a free transfer had been discussed but a reduced fee would likely be needed to pry him away from the Premier League champions.
Robertson moves to a big club to start for a team with aspirations of winning the title and challenging in Europe. The style of play should also suit him a little more.
He also gets to experience something different while leaving Anfield on his terms.
Liverpool, meanwhile, get a fee for a squad player entering the final 12 months of his deal while also removing a high earner from their books. For a bit of context here, Robertson’s salary likely covers the wages of Kostas Tsimikas and Kerkez.
The Greek Scouser is reportedly on £75,000-per-week while the former Milan full-back is expected to earn £90,000-per-week once he finalises his move from Bournemouth.
Not that the Reds are counting pennies at the moment, given their £100million outlay to sign Florian Wirtz, but smart business is smart business, regardless of the financial landscape.
It also feels fitting that Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robertson both leave Anfield as Premier League champions. Their careers at Liverpool did deserve that.
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