With Milos Kerkez still yet to really hit the ground running since his 2025 summer move from Bournemouth, Liverpool has been told to target an out-of-favor Spaniard to replace him at left-back

Liverpool has been urged to target Barcelona defenderAlejandro Balde ahead of the January transfer window amid Milos Kerkez's ongoing struggles at left-back.

Kerkez, 23, was one of the Premier League's top performers in his position during the 2024/25 campaign with Bournemouth, producing two goals, six assists and helping to keep nine clean sheets, making him a highly exciting signing when he was snapped up by Liverpool ahead of last season.

However, the Hungarian flattered to deceive in his first year on Merseyside as he competed with Andrew Robertson for the starting left-back spot, and despite the arrival of former Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola for the current 2026/27 campaign, things haven't drastically improved.

Robertson, of course, is now gone, having joined Tottenham Hotspur upon the expiry of his Liverpool contract at the end of last season, and the only other option in the left-back position is Kostas Tsimikas, who spent last year out on loan at Roma.

With Liverpool keen to get back to the same heights as their Premier League title-winning campaign less than two years ago, there have been calls for the Reds to invest in a new left-back ahead of the January transfer window, which opens in just over seven weeks.

One such name to emerge is Balde, who conveniently finds himself out of favor under Hansi Flick at Camp Nou, with former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believing he could be exactly what the Reds need moving forward.

"I think Balde could be great for Liverpool because he's a super talent and he's also got that experience of being at a huge football club with that expectation," Murphy told Betarades.gr.

"Balde's a really good player. There's lots of good players out there and Liverpool will be scouring the world. I think the most important thing is trying to bring somebody in who doesn't make you guess whether he can deal with the pressure of a big club."

"I still think there are times, especially in defensive areas, where you really do want ready-made players. Especially when you're struggling," Murphy added. "I think Liverpool have got enough young players now who need to grow. I think now there's an argument to have a few more players who are maybe a bit more established."

Balde arguably fits that "established" criteria Murphy mentions, with the Spaniard racking up 172 appearances for Barcelona to date, helping the La Liga champion to seven trophies during his time at the club.

A product of the La Masia academy, Balde first broke through into Barcelona's first team during the 2021-22 season, before becoming an established member of the side the following campaign, when he was named in the La Liga Team of the Season after helping Barcelona to its 27th league title.

Still only 23, the same age as Kerkez, Balde has plenty of room to grow and improve, but he already has a wealth of experience at the top level, which should help him adapt quickly to the Premier League.

He may well have fallen out of favor under Flick at Barcelona this season, but he could be just what Liverpool is looking for. Should the Reds want to make a permanent move for him, though, they could be looking at forking out up to $44 million, per Transfermarkt's valuation.