Liverpool s summer shake up: Quansah departs, Kerkez arrives

Liverpool is making decisive moves in the summer transfer window, with a significant defensive shuffle underway. The club has officially agreed to the £34 million sale of promising defender Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen. However, the completion of this transfer is contingent upon Quansah fulfilling his commitments with the England U21 squad, where he is currently preparing for a European U21 Championship semi-final clash against the Netherlands.

Notably, the deal between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen includes a buy-back clause, reflecting the Reds' pride in Quansah's development through their academy and their foresight for his potential future.

While the departure of Quansah opens a spot in Liverpool's defense, the immediate prospect of Marc Guéhi joining as a direct replacement appears distant, despite Liverpool's long-standing interest in the Crystal Palace defender.

Simultaneously, Liverpool is poised to welcome their newest acquisition: Milos Kerkez, the dynamic left-back from Bournemouth. The Hungary international is scheduled for his medical on Merseyside on Tuesday, having flown into the northwest of England on Monday evening. This move is expected to cost Liverpool in the region of £40 million.

Kerkez, aged 21, is set to become manager Arne Slot's third significant signing of the summer. Slot has already secured Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen in a £29.5 million deal and brought in Frimpong's club-mate, Florian Wirtz, in a blockbuster £116.5 million transfer.

Kerkez was a standout performer for Bournemouth last season, demonstrating his attacking prowess with two goals and five assists across 38 Premier League appearances. Liverpool has been tracking his progress for some time, and the move sees Reds sporting director Richard Hughes, who joined from Bournemouth last summer, reunite with a player he originally signed for the Cherries from AZ Alkmaar in 2023. Bournemouth has already prepared for Kerkez's departure, having recently completed a deal to sign left-back Adrien Truffert from Rennes for an initial £10.1 million, a fee that could rise to £14.3 million.

These strategic maneuvers indicate Liverpool's intent to reshape their squad under Arne Slot, balancing player development and future potential with immediate impact signings to strengthen key areas.