Manchester United could recruit a new left-back this summer after it became a problem position in 2023/24 due to injuries to both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
Shaw managed only 15 appearances in all competition as a result of two substantial periods sidelined with muscle problems, while Malacia hasn’t featured since May 2023.
It meant Diogo Dalot, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof and Sofyan Amrabat all filling in at one or another over the course of the campaign.
United had already been tipped to dip into the transfer market, with Fabrizio Romano now reporting that Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is one of the names on their radar. At present, the Hungary international is admired but is only being “monitored” and is not yet the subject of any talks.
On Bournemouth’s part, any approach would likely be met with a high asking price.
Kerkez cost the Cherries around £15.5m last summer when he arrived from Eredivisie side AZ. He previously spent time in academies in Serbia, the country of his birth, and Hungary, before several years with Rapid Vienna in Austria from the age of ten. At 17, he was even personally persuaded to join the youth ranks at AC Milan by club legend Paolo Maldini but grew frustrated and left.
Now 20, he was Bournemouth’s regular left-back for much of this past season as the Cherries finished 12th in the Premier League, although an injury absence for more than a month before and after Christmas, and a red suspension in April into May limited him to 22 league starts.
Kerkez tends to play in a more advanced wing-back role for Hungary and fans will be able to get a look at him in action over the coming weeks at Euro 2024. They face Switzerland, Germany and Scotland in the group stage between 15 and 23 June.