Liverpool are in talks with one of the best players in Europe, according to journalist Duncan Castles, as Milos Kerkez gets late offers to turn down a move to Anfield in the summer transfer window.
Despite winning the Premier League title with relative ease in the 2024/25 campaign, Liverpool have not stood still in the summer transfer window. Manager Arne Slot and Sporting Director Richard Hughes have been very busy, with Liverpool signing Jeremie Frimpong as a direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold and also striking a deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz, who is set to undergo a medical on Friday.
Liverpool also look set to sign Kerkez from Bournemouth in a £45millon deal and are in the market for a new striker, too, with Alexander Isak of Newcastle United their dream target.
Jorrel Hato is another player that Liverpool hold an interest in, with the Ajax star having impressed as a centre-back in the 2023/24 campaign and as a left-back in the 2024/25 season.
TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on April 14 that Liverpool had made an approach for the Netherlands international, who was given the Johan Cruyff Talent of the Year award for the 2024/25 season.
Arsenal and Chelsea have held talks over Hato, with a trusted source now revealing that Liverpool have been in direct negotiations with the defender, who, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano in GiveMeSport in May 2024, is “a generational talent”.
Castles said on The Transfers Podcast: “There have been direct conversations between Liverpool and Hato over joining the Premier League champions this summer and those talks are taking place with the knowledge of Ajax, who are open to selling the player.
“I think top European clubs missed an opportunity last summer when Ajax were struggling both on the field and financially, where Hato could have been picked up on a far cheaper deal, potentially with a loan back to Ajax, but nobody took that opportunity
“Now we have a situation where Liverpool are looking at the player, with Arsenal and Chelsea also seriously interested in him.”
Hato, 19, made 50 appearances for Ajax in the 2024/25 season, scoring three goals and giving six assists in the process, while in the 2023/24 campaign, the teenage defender found the back of the net once and registered three assists in 46 matches in all competitions.
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Milos Kerkez ‘going to Liverpool’
Meanwhile, Romano has revealed that Bournemouth and Hungary international left-back Kerkez is determined to move to Liverpool despite clubs making a move to change his mind in recent days.
When asked by journalist Ben Jacobs whether Liverpool fans can expect to see Kerkez announced next Monday, Romano said on GiveMeSport’s YouTube channel: “Could be [announced on Monday].
“The day could change based on some technical things they have to resolve, but what I heard weeks ago is it’s just about some technical things, but there is no issue. He will be a Liverpool player because he is not considering any other destinations.
“Some clubs tried to call in the last two, three weeks to try to understand what’s going on but the answer was always ‘sorry, but I’m going to Liverpool.’
“Club to club is almost there, it’s just a matter of when. It could be Monday, it could be another moment, we will see in the next days but Kerkez will be the new left-back for Arne Slot.”
Who is Jorrel Hato?
Hato was born in Rotterdam but has been an Ajax player since 2018, when he joined their academy from hometown club Sparta Rotterdam.
He captained Ajax’s youth team during the 2022-23 UEFA Youth League and made his first-team debut during that same season as well.
Hato’s emergence into the first team, despite being the third youngest Eredivisie debutant in Ajax colours, was strong. By the end of the season, he was a starter in the KNVB Cup final.
Hato had a busy 2023-24 season, making 46 appearances in all competitions, including as captain on a couple of occasions.
A versatile defender, Hato played mainly as a left-back last season, but has operated as a centre-back before too.
Good in possession, Hato is technically intelligent and is an ideal modern defender. He has a bright future ahead.
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