The 21 year old is highly reported to be Liverpool’s priority target for the left-back position this summer with Slot and his side considered the frontrunners to sign the Hungary international who has impressed with the Cherries this season. A transfer fee in the region of £45M is said to be enough to release the defender which has now enticed Manchester City.
His pricetag as well as Liverpool not yet submitting an official bid for him had led to reports from the I and the Daily Mail to suggest that Guardiola is now desperate to bring in Kerkez in the summer transfer window. The I Paper writes that Liverpool have “long been considered the frontrunners” but City are “now viewed as genuine rivals for his signature.”
Speaking in his recent press conference, Slot admitted that they will need to dip into the transfer window to improve the squad. The club are very close to signing Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong and have already confirmed the signing of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. Adding Kerkez would only boost their chances of retaining the Premier League title next season as they start their squad overhaul.
"If I look at the way we think about next season and our squad," Slot said "These are things that are on my mind. I think we can find one or two extra weapons that this team doesn’t have. Maybe, maybe by using the transfer market.
"That is what we are trying to achieve. That will only make us stronger. That is what we need because we saw City spending £200m in the transfer window. All of them will. Apart from the transfer window, we can also improve certain aspects ourselves.
"I think (evolving the team) happened already with us in the second half of the season. Teams got to know us even better or tried to find answers to our playing style."