Liverpool sign Kerkez, spending nears $197M

Liverpool have completed the signing of Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, the Premier League champions have announced, taking the club's summer spending to around the £170 million ($197m) mark.

Sources told ESPN that Kerkez has joined Liverpool on a five-year contract after the club agreed a deal with Bournemouth totalling £40m ($54.9m).

Kerkez is Liverpool's third major signing of the summer following the arrivals of Jeremie Frimpong and Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz, who joined on a club-record fee in a deal worth up to £116m ($159m).

Liverpool's summer spending spree is in marked contrast to their activity last summer which saw just two arrivals -- Federico Chiesa (€12m, $16.4m) and Giorgi Mamardashvili (€30m, $41m) who was loaned back to Valencia.

Hungary international Kerkez joins after a breakout season, with his two goals and six assists from defence helping Bournemouth to their first top-half finish in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old is set to provide competition to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas at Anfield. Liverpool have already signed full-back Frimpong this summer following Trent Alexander-Arnold's exit to Real Madrid.

Kerkez has been a mainstay for Bournemouth since joining from AZ Alkmaar in 2023, and he started every game for Andoni Iraola's side last season.

He has also been capped 23 times by his country.