Liverpool hoping to finalise deal for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez in the next few days with Cherries holding firm on £45m valuation

Liverpool are hoping to finalise a deal to sign Bournemouth left back Milos Kerkez in the coming days.

The Cherries are standing firm with their valuation of £45million but could do a deal for around £40m.

Kerkez, 21, could become Liverpool’s second signing of the summer transfer window if he is not beaten to the punch by German superstar Florian Wirtz.

Sources in Germany say a deal to sign Wirtz is ‘99 per cent done’ in an incentivised package that would smash Liverpool’s transfer record.

The Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder, who will play for the Germans in their UEFA Nations League semi-final against Portugal tonight, is extremely keen on a move to Anfield and this is now a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’.

He will follow Leverkusen pal Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool after the wing back penned a five-year deal last week in a £29.5m move.

Arne Slot’s Reds are being very active in the market after winning the Premier League

These three deals will take the Reds’ summer outlay to more than £200million when you also factor in the £25m deal, plus achievable add-ons, for new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. That move was finalised last summer but counts as one for this year on the financial sheets.

It means Liverpool must balance the books with sales. They have already brought in £10m for Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving early for Real Madrid and will eventually bank £18m for Caoimhin Kelleher’s switch to Brentford.

Darwin Nunez is likely to leave while money could also be brought in from sales of players like Kostas Tsimikas. Young stars Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah are attracting interest from at home and abroad for permanent moves, though Liverpool would want big fees.

Winger Luis Diaz is another who is said to have suitors with Al Nassr and Barcelona supposedly courting him.

Liverpool are not looking to sell the Colombian, though, and he has two years left on his current deal.