AFC Bournemouth have unveiled their new signing Milos Kerkez for £15.5 million from Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar.
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How Kerkez Arrival Will Help Andoni Iraola
Perfect Fit for Iraola
The 19-year-old has just completed his breakthrough season, only missing one game in the league and one game in the Europa Conference League. Bill Foley‘s Cherries have certainly made his mark with this signing as Kerkez is very highly rated, with Lazio reportedly keen on signing the Hungarian.
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This signing makes perfect sense considering Bournemouth’s announcement last month that Andoni Iraola would be replacing Gary O’Neil as their Head Coach. Iraola, who managed Rayo Vallecano last season, has preferred attacking fullbacks in his brief managerial career, and Kerkez is just that.
In La Liga, his first-choice left-back was Fran Garcia, who managed three assists and two goals in the league. He was also in the top two percent for progressive carries for fullbacks. Therefore this star signing has clearly been targeted to suit Iraola’s playing style, especially as Bournemouth currently have one left-back, Lloyd Kelly, who is more defensively-minded.
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The Strengths of Milos Kerkez
The Hungarian has already played eight times for his national team, including appearances in the qualification for Euro 2024 and in the UEFA Nations League A. Kerkez was impressive when attacking last season, ranking in the top 9% for touches in the opposition box and ranking in the top 15% for successful take-ons.
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The Hungarian is solid defensively but comes alive when joining in with attacks, which will be a useful weapon for Bournemouth. He is adept at keeping possession of the ball, and his tactical awareness is impressive. His work rate will be appreciated by the Vitality stadium faithful, who will see his ability to overlap and create 2v1 situations.
Why Will He Suit AFC Bournemouth?
The left-back will be a very useful addition in an underdog team that relies on fast counter-attacks: especially with quick wingers like Dango Ouattara and Marcus Tavernier. Clearly, Bournemouth have a very admirable player on their hands, and at 19 years old his market value and ability should increase as he gains Premier League experience. This suits the Cherries as they aspire to maintain their Premier League status and even become a top-half team, shown by their other young but promising signings.
Kerkez is tough and aggressive in defensive situations, which he will need to be in the Premier League. Despite his clear promise, he will need to be ready to improve due to the higher quality players he will be facing. Iraola is acquiring a player with clear promise, and it remains to be seen how he will adapt to the rigours of English football.
Main image credit: Dom Fellowes, CC BY-2.0.
