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United’s season has been plagued with injury, especially in defence, with Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane all experiencing enforced breaks through injury. With Shaw and Malacia both sidelined, United found themselves without their first and second-choice left-back for most of the season.
This meant that Erik ten Hag had to rely on Sofyan Amrabat, Victor Lindelof and Diogo Dalot to cover these key absences, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka also being called upon on occasion.
With the transfer window now open, the Red Devils are looking to make moves for young players with the potential to grow and develop the team to succeed for years to come.
The latest name to be reported on United’s shortlist is Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
Journalist Ben Jacobs announced that the Red Devils have held internal discussions about the 20-year-old, being impressed with his development over recent years.
The Hungarian has had a fantastic season for the Cherries since arriving from AZ Alkmaar for €17.87 million last summer after an impressive season putting in 57 appearances, grabbing himself five goals and seven assists across all competitions.
Kerkez was a key member of the squad that took the Dutch club to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League where they were knocked out by West Ham United, as well as securing a fourth-place finish in the Eredivisie.
Since joining Bournemouth, Kerkez has made 33 appearances for the Premier League club, helping them achieve a twelfth-place finish in the league, standing out as a key player in the squad.
Impressive for club and country, with 14 caps already to his name, Kerkez has been announced in the Hungarian preliminary squad heading to the European Championships in Germany this year where they’ve been drawn in Group A against Germany, Scotland and Switzerland.
It’s thought that with the trajectory Kerkez is on, and his attacking-minded playstyle, he could be a long-term replacement for Luke Shaw, especially if Erik ten Hag stays at United. The Dutman favours a full-back who can move forward with the ball, and Kerkez’s versatility to play in left-back or left midfield certainly meets that description.
It’s understood however that United may be up against Chelsea for the 20-year-old’s signature, with the London club and United both linked with the Hungarian earlier in the year as an option to solve their injury struggles.
