Liverpool are keen on acquiring the services of Belgian defensive sensation Maxim De Cuyper as a potential alternative to Milos Kerkez.
According to a report from AnfieldWatch, Liverpool are keen on signing a new left-back this summer and Club Burgge’s Maxim De Cuyper is one of the names on their wishlist. While Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is their priority target, they are looking at the Belgian as an ideal alternative.
De Cuyper has come up the ranks at Club Brugge and has been a constant feature in their XI over the last few seasons. He has featured in a total of 50 matches this season and has contributed towards 11 goals.
While he only has one goal in his 12 Champions League outings, his overall performances have been top notch and they have placed him quite high on Liverpool’s wishlist. The Reds have been scouting him for the last 12 months and they consider him an ideal fit for their setup.
The Merseyside club might have won the Premier League but Arne Slot has identified a few key areas that need reinforcement and the left-back position is one of them. While Andy Robertson has been a great servant for the club, he is in the final phase of his career and his performances haven’t been that great of late.
Signing Kerkez won’t be that straightforward
As a result, the Reds want a new left-back this summer. Their priority is to sign Milos Kerkez, who has been doing wonders at Bournemouth. They have been keeping a close eye on him and consider him a perfect fit for Slot’s system and their project.
The Reds have been working on a potential transfer for a while now. They initially held talks with Kerkez’s representatives back in October last year. Sporting director Richard Hughes considers him their number one target for the summer and he is optimistic having signed him for Bournemouth back in 2023.
However, the Merseyside club are aware that signing him won’t be that straightforward. With multiple top clubs pushing for his signature, Bournemouth will stick to their asking price of £45 million. The competition as well as the price tag could complicate things for the Reds.
De Cuyper is an ideal alternative
They certainly won’t want to fork out that big a fee on a full-back as they do need to reinforce other areas on the pitch. As a result, they are looking at De Cuyper, who could be a much cheaper alternative. More importantly, even he fits the bill for them thanks to his incredible work rate and his ability to contribute in the final third.
The Belgian international could provide competition for Robertson in the starting XI and potentially succeed him as Liverpool’s first-choice left-back in the long run.