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ARNE SLOT BREAKS SILENCE ON KERKEZ’S FORM AFTER LIVERPOOL WOBBLES

Liverpool boss Arne Slot defends new signing Milos Kerkez, explaining his defensive role & need for better synergy with Cody Gakpo. The £40m left-back has faced criticism, but Slot insists he brings "energy" and defensive solidity.

Arne Slot Breaks Silence on Kerkez’s Form After Liverpool Wobbles
Liverpool boss Arne Slot speaking to Milos Kerkez during the Burnley match - (Image: Getty Images)

Before going on a four-game losing streak across all competitions, Liverpool began the current season with five consecutive Premier League victories. 

But in their most recent Champions League match, they defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1, snapping the slump in their record. 

Arne Slot talked on a variety of subjects before the Premier League match against Brentford, including the performances of the new Liverpool players. 

Milos Kerkez is one such player who has taken his time adjusting to life at Anfield. The 21-year-old Hungarian joined Liverpool this summer for a reported £40 million ($53.2 million) after finishing as one of the Premier League's top left-backs for Bournemouth the previous season.

However, he has been a ghost of his former self since moving to Merseyside, and even Slot has some of the blame for his lacklustre performances because he has not given Kerkez enough leeway to go on overlapping runs on the left wing. 

Kerkez, who concluded the previous season with five assists and two goals while playing in all 38 league games for the Cherries, is well-known for his brisk overlapping runs on the left wing. 

Slot has tied the kid with defensive responsibilities, as he is often regarded as playing the third defender, whilst limiting his attacking production. 

What was Arne Slot's opinion of Kerkez, Liverpool's recent acquisition?


Slot has stuck with Kerkez in spite of his erratic play, starting him in all eight league games instead of the more seasoned Andrew Robertson. 

According to the Dutchman, the Hungarian has performed admirably in his defensive responsibilities, earning frequent starts on the left wing. 

Since I also need to talk about Robbo, I do not think it is the right place for me to express this. When questioned by reporters about Kerkez, Slot stated, "I can tell you that the reason we brought him in is that he is bringing a lot of energy to the game, continues going up and down." 

Additionally, he excels at defending against his wingers in one-on-one situations. defensively sound, and they put a lot of effort toward creating overlaps."

For his careless challenges and lack of connection with Cody Gakpo, who often plays on the left wing for the Reds, Kerkez has drawn a lot of criticism. 

Slot believes that when more games are played, the two players' synergy will grow and show on the pitch. 

He has been a little unlucky, in my opinion, that Cody has mostly relied on his greatest strength, which is going inside and hitting the target, but we have also shown Cody that there were a few instances in which it could have been wiser to play the ball towards Milos.

"So, once more, let us look at a scenario where two players are playing together and need to strengthen their bond. We brought him in for that reason, and I believe that answers your question more accurately than drawing comparisons between him and Robbo."

We anticipate that Kerkez will improve his performances, given that he has played in up to 12 games in all competitions this season; if not, Slot will have to revert to Robertson, his reliable soldier. 

WHY DID JEREMY JACQUET SNUB CHELSEA FOR LIVERPOOL? THE SECRET VIRGIL CONNECTION

Liverpool secure Jeremy Jacquet in a £60m Deadline Day coup. The 20-year-old chose Anfield over Chelsea for a summer move.

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Liverpool scouted Jeremy Jacquet in secret before the huge £60m bid

Liverpool turned heads on Transfer Deadline Day when Arne Slot jumped into the mix and snapped up one of Europe’s brightest young talents.

The Reds dropped £55 million up front—plus another potential £5 million in add-ons—to bring in Jeremy Jacquet. He’ll link up with his new teammates this summer. Chelsea hovered around the deal too, but Jacquet chose Liverpool over the Blues.

French football pundit Julian Laurens isn’t shy about his excitement. He told Sky Sports, “He’s the real deal. Sure, he’s only 20. He hasn’t played for France yet, and you won’t find him in the Champions League or Europa League. But he’s already shown so much. Last season, Rennes brought him back from a second division loan, and this year, playing under Habib Beye, he’s just kept improving. You can’t miss with this kid. He’s going to be special.

“He reminds me of when William Saliba broke through at Saint-Etienne, or even Wesley Fofana. The point is, if you really value untapped talent, you’re willing to pay big. And Liverpool just did—because Jacquet’s that promising.”

Jacquet grew up in Bondy, the same Paris suburb that produced Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Randal Kolo Muani. It’s up in Seine-Saint-Denis, northeast of central Paris.

His football education, though, happened at Rennes out in Brittany. He came up through their academy, playing alongside guys like Desire Doue—who won the Champions League with PSG—and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel.

Back then, Jacquet idolised Paul Pogba, but once they moved him to centre-back, he started looking up to Virgil van Dijk.

He made his first-team debut for Rennes in January 2024, then went on loan to Clermont Foot 63, who were fighting relegation in Ligue 1. Even after they went down, Rennes kept him out on loan because he did so well with the French U19 squad.

But in February 2025, Rennes called him back, and he’s been a regular for Habib Beye ever since.

Asked about his playing style, Jacquet said, “I’m calm on the ball—maybe I look a little nonchalant, but I’m always focused. What makes me stand out is playing out from the back and breaking lines with the right pass.”

JEREMY JACQUET UPDATE: FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL INTEREST BUT RENNES DEMAND CLUB-RECORD FEE

Liverpool is battling Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet as Arne Slot faces a mounting injury crisis.

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Liverpool is in advanced talks for Jeremy Jacquet, but Rennes hold out for the summer

Liverpool really wants to sign Jeremy Jacquet this month, but with Chelsea, Man United, and Arsenal also circling, it looks like they’ll have to wait until summer.

They just locked in a spot in the Champions League last 16 after cruising past Qarabag FK, so things are looking good on that front. This season, they’ve already faced a couple of those big clubs—snatching a last-gasp win over Atletico thanks to Van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header, but coming up short with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey.

On Wednesday, Ryan Gravenberch ended up playing centre-back because Joe Gomez is out injured, and Ibrahima Konate is still away after his father passed away. They're really stretched at the back, especially with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both dealing with long-term injuries. The club decided not to go after Marc Guehi this month, which let Manchester City snap him up for under £30 million.

Now, Liverpool is eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. L’Equipe reported in January that Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all want him. Fabrizio Romano gave an update, saying Liverpool would love to get the deal done now, but Rennes just don’t want to sell until summer. So, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern are all talking to Rennes and Jacquet’s people, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

With all these injuries piling up, people are wondering if Liverpool might try to bring in someone before the window closes. Arne Slot responded, saying the club always tries to make smart decisions, thinking about both the short and long term. That’s why they focus on signing young talent who can still develop—sometimes you just have to be patient and trust the process.

He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t have a massive squad packed with four right-backs, a dozen midfielders, or a handful of strikers. They need to be clever about their moves, balancing immediate needs with future plans.

As for the latest on injuries, Slot said they’ll see how Jeremie Frimpong is doing—maybe he won’t be fit for Saturday, but he could be ready soon after. With just one game a week coming up, injuries should ease up a bit, but you never know with football.

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