Milos Kerkez has joined Liverpool as the club’s third acquisition and Andy Robertson’s successor, following in the footsteps of former Bayer Leverkusen players Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong. The Hungarian impressed for Bournemouth over the course of two seasons, and Arne Slot appears to consider him as critical to regaining Premier League glory.
But is he truly an upgrade over the aforementioned Robertson, and is he statistically superior to Kostas Tsimikas? Using Squawka’s Comparison Matrix to examine the trio’s numbers from the 2024/25 Premier League season, we’ve determined if signing the 21-year-old left-back was a wise decision for the title-winning Reds or money better spent elsewhere.
General Statistics Compared
Tsimikas and Kerkez both shone; Robertson struggled
Kerkez, who recently signed a five-year contract, played all 38 Premier League games for Bournemouth last season, which is clearly superior to both Robertson and Tsimikas. The former is now 31 years old and cannot play every minute of every match.
Of course, Kerkez played the most minutes of the three, and his 0.1 goals per 90 and 0.2 assists per 90 are the greatest, but he shares the latter with Tsimikas, who had the most touches per 90 (82.7). Kerkez took the least (61).
The 41-cap Greece international, who has 115 appearances for the Merseysiders since signing in 2020, was meticulous in control, surrendering the ball only 12.9 times per 90. Roberton’s and Kerkez’s respective tallies of 13.6 and 14.2 demonstrate that they are more reckless in possession.
General Statistics: Robertson, Tsimikas, and Kerkez 24/25
Statistic
Robertson
Tsimikas
Kerkez
Games
33
18
38
Minutes
2492
833
3342
Goals
0
0
0.1
Assists
0.1
0.2
0.2
Touches
76.9
82.7
61
Possession lost
13.6
12.9
14.2
Touches in the Opp. Box
2
1.5
2
Defending Statistics Compared
Robertson once again found himself at the bottom of the group.
Although the normal football fan would argue that defenders should focus on the fundamentals of defending, that is not how Liverpool operates. Under Jurgen Klopp and now Slot, they have placed a strong emphasis on full-backs flying up the flank and delivering passes in.
Nonetheless, defending is crucial. Tsimikas led the triad with 3.4 tackles per 90 minutes, while Robertson and Kerkez each had 1.5. The former Olympiacos regular is also a duel-winning beast. Despite his tiny stature, the 29-year-old won 38.46% of his aerial bouts.
However, beyond winning duels and making tackles, last season’s statistics show that Kerkez – largely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs in the Premier League right now – was more than defensively resolute: he won 2.7 clearances per 90 minutes. That outperforms Robertson (1.6) and Tsimikas (1.9).
Kerkez, who is still only 21 years old, was also the best in terms of interceptions (1.3), blocked shots (0.3), and ball recoveries (4.6), demonstrating his ability to close shop and set his attacking exploits aside for a moment. Robertson, formerly of Hull City, was the weakest of the three, despite his 3.8 ball recoveries per 90.
Defending Statistics: Robertson, Tsimikas, and Kerkez 24/25.
Statistic (per 90).
Robertson
Tsimikas
Kerkez
Tackles Are Made
1.5
3.4
1.5
Aerial Duel Success Rate (%)
33.33
38.46
36.36
Ground Duel Success Rate (%)
50.47
60.87
59.9
Clearances
1.6
1.9
2.7
Interceptions
0.8
1.2
1.3
Blocked shots
0.2
0.3
0.3
Ball Recoveries
3.8
3.4
4.6
Attacking Statistics Compared
Tsimikas proved to be a menacing presence on the left wing.
As previously stated, the Reds use their full-backs like no other: they fly up the flank like it’s going out of style and try to get in on the scoring – and Robertson has had plenty of practice doing so since joining the club in 2017, when he became one of the best Premier League bargains of the twenty-first century.
That’s reflected in his 0.5 shots (excluding blocks) per 90 last season, but it’s the only metric in which he excels. Tsimikas is the left-back who excelled offensively in the 2024/25 Premier League season.
He produced 1.8 chances per 90 minutes, which is extremely outstanding when compared to Robertson’s 1.5 and Kerkez’s one, and his passing accuracy was also the highest of the three. Last term, the Greek also outperformed the other two with 23.24 passes per 90.
Kerkez’s dominance is limited to take-on success. Fans have seen Kerkez marauding up the side, bypassing Bournemouth’s left-winger numerous times this season, and his take-on success of 56.41% demonstrates his ability to shoot up the wing, beat his man, and create havoc.
Attacking Statistics: Robertson, Tsimikas, and Kerkez 24/25.
Statistic
Robertson
Tsimikas
Kerkez
Shots (excluding Blocks)
0.5
0.4
0.3
Chances Created
1.5
1.8
1
Passing Accuracy (%
87.99
91.05
80.44
Through Balls
0.2
0.2
0.1
Forward Passes
20.3
23.24
14.9
Take-On Success (%)
41.18
50
56.41
Is Kerkez the right candidate for the job?
Slot and his crew parted with £40 million for the Hungarian.
Given his recent performances, it’s evident that Robertson, one of the finest left-backs in Premier League history, is no longer capable of marking and blocking the division’s crafty wingers. Replacing him is, of course, necessary; yet, was Kerkez’s signature worth capitalizing on?
Next season, he and Robertson are anticipated to compete for the left-back spot, but in the long run, Kerkez will be one of Slot’s most valuable assets, as he is widely considered as one of the top managers in the world.
Splitting £40 million is no longer a large spend given the bloated market, and signing someone of Kerkez’s caliber for such a sum is excellent business. He has a good chance of remaining one of the best defenders in England’s top division for many years, perhaps even a decade.
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