WHY arsenal are desperate to sign Milos Kerez!

Has Mikel Arteta found the next left-back to transform Arsenal's system? Recent reports via the media outlets of this world have linked us with AFC Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkes. He was born in Serbia, yet plays for Hungary at international level. As I just said, numerous reports have also been very consistent in saying Mikel Arteta wants to sign a left-back, despite on paper having Kyrgios, who can play there, Tomias, who can play there, and you could include Nuno Tavares if you want. Long story short, there appears to be a number of full-backs on Arsenal's books, and one would wonder, while we need to bring in a central midfielder and a striker, surely if we were to bring in a defensive body, surely it would be a centre-half or a versatile player in the same ilk of Tomiasu and Timba. I don't really care, because Mikel Arteta is paid to make the decisions, and I think in the last two years in particular, he has made a lot of popular and unpopular decisions, but long story short, we've been moving in the right direction, so who really cares? In relation to this guy in question, people, several clubs, including Arsenal, have been linked. You can add Chelsea and Manchester United. Several outlets, once again, have said Arsenal want to sign a left-back, and again, what's reported in the media and what's actually happening in the real world of football are two very different things, as you lot listening know. But when it's reported so many times, especially by the David Ornsteins, the Charles Watts, the Fabrizio Romanos, there at least has to be some substance to it. Could that be because Kyrgios and Zinchenko could move on? Is there alternative plans where Tomiasu and Timba are concerned? Who knows, people? But for what it's worth, the more I look at this individual, the more I can see at least why he's been linked with Arsenal or bigger clubs, and why he might have, to some degree, featured on the scouting department's list of potential targets. I mean, he's only been at Bournemouth for a year, and he's already one of their standout players in their side, and there's a lot to like about him, people. I might be exaggerating a bit, but when you do your research in relation to full-backs, he's probably one of the most exciting young talents in world football, people, and he's obviously solidified that since he arrived at the and now showing what he can do in the Premier League. As I said, he was born in Serbia. Since then, he's played in England, Austria, Italy, and actually a couple of other nations, so it shows his adaptability, people, and that he's young and hungry to improve and be outside of his comfort zone. He got his first taste of international football when he played 18 times in the Hungarian second division, just aged 17 at the time, people. He did join AC and many people, including myself, wouldn't have known that without doing my homework. Allegedly, a personal call from Paolo Maldini encouraged him to make the move in 2021. Unfortunately for him, I'm sure he learned a lot at AC Milan. He was unfortunate in that he didn't make a senior appearance, but did train with the first team on a regular basis. In January of 2022, he then made the move to Holland to sign for AZ Alkmaar. He featured largely for their second-string side, and upon his arrival, he broke into the first team during the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off campaign. He played four times in such, people. Again, the then-teenager became a regular member of the side in the 2022-23 season, and he played 52 times in all comps, people, and he did contribute to 12 goals, bagging five himself with seven assists in his first full season of action at that level. He then helped, in his own way, AZ finish fourth and reach the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, people, in which he evidently played a key role. You can see why potentially Arsenal have an attraction for him. He's a young player that's got a solid ground of experience that is on an upward trajectory, people. In June of 2023, he was actually nominated for the 2023 Golden Boy Award, which again, unfortunately, these awards have a bias towards attackers, and respectfully to him, there are some other young players making a lot more noise, but the very fact that he was named amongst certain players at the time shows that he is and was one of the best under-21 players within Europe. There's a lot of things that potentially could attract him towards Arsenal. The first, I would say, is his age profile. At 20 years of age, he's got a solid base of education, having played in numerous countries and things of that ilk, people, but yet he's still young and impressionable. So, in that regard, you could argue he fits Mikel Arteta's model. He's played one season in the Premier League, but I think it's fair to say he's Premier League proven, and one thing, again, based on his short career, to say he's played in Austria, England, Italy, Holland and Hungary, that shows his adaptability. He can think fast. He can adapt fast. When you look at Bournemouth, they finished 12th. Their Spanish manager, ironically, from the same region of Spain as deserves a lot of plaudits. We saw them finish 12th. We saw their form at the turn, or better yet, the end of 2023. They were one of the most informed sides. When you look at how Areola plays, Bournemouth play a high, attractive brand of football. You have to be very cultured on the ball. They press high. Obviously, they give respect to oppositions depending on who they're playing, but they look to play their own philosophy. I think there's a lot of interchangeables and similarities in which, if he did sign for Arsenal, would be something Mikel Arteta is attracted to. When you look at their high pressing, when you look at their defenders having to be comfortable on the ball and contributing all phases of attacking and defensive play, when you look at him, he does show elements of playing as a traditional full-back, as well as inverting and getting in behind people. So, again, this could be an attraction to Mikel Arteta. When you look at him as a left-back, he's probably known for his pace, his defensive skills, his tenacity and, ultimately, his ability to contribute in attack. I do appreciate his versatility and his work rate. He's effective both defensively and offensively. He's actually, for a full-back, got a good final ball, playing passes into the opposition's penalty box and also his crossing, which we're not a crossing side, but when you consider the height of someone like Kai Havertz, that could be an extra couple of goals a season, people. So, there's a lot to like about him. Again, you lot know me. I'm a big fan of any full-back. I am a failed winger myself. I believe this individual is the kind of defender that feels more comfortable with the ball at his feet and in the attacking sequences than necessarily in the defensive phase. I do think he shows a willingness to defend, and he is, to a degree, a reliable defender and a tough defender. It will make it difficult for wingers to go at him and try and defeat him in one-v-one situations, although I think he could be a bit polished in that regard. Sometimes I think he's over-enthusiastic and probably a bit too strong in tackles. I do think, defensively, he can improve ever so slightly off the ball, people, and just generally. But he's strong in one-v-one situations, generally. He does have the ability, due to his footballing IQ and his pace, to attack open and tight spaces. Ultimately, with what I'm saying and the research I'm doing, could you imagine the carnage we could cause down the left-hand side with either Trossart, Martinelli or another winger or anything else Mikel Arteta demands? For me, obviously, addressing that hole in the left-hand side of central midfield that Xhaka left, really, would be causing havoc, people. I do like his aggressiveness, but again, I have to say, again, there is a tendency, on occasion, to over-commit, and I do think he could polish up in that regard and ultimately find balance. But for someone that's in their early 20s, do we expect them to be the finished article? Again, you know, you could just watch any game from the 2023-24 season to highlight his importance. However, I do think, when you look back in the 2022-23 season, you know, I think he proved to be remarkably proficient in attacking positions and areas. He contributed to 12 goals, which, again, is a big uptake for Mikel Arteta. We see our defenders contribute, our attackers contribute. I always say our first attacker is David Rier, our first defender is Kai Havertz at this moment in time, so he could help us in that regard, people. Despite the fact that the season in question was actually his first season in elite high-level football in that regard, in the top five league, he again managed to get five assists and five goals, apologies, and seven assists in 52 appearances. At the time, he was in the 91st percentile for non-penalty goals, compared to other full-backs, and was in a similar percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area. So, that shows you somebody that is very cultured on the ball. Tierney can't quite do what Mikel Arteta demands of him in that role. Obviously, Zinchenko can do all of that, but he can't defend. Kirill doesn't necessarily look comfortable in every game that he's played in that role. So, you could see why this could be an area that Mikel Arteta has highlighted. He was also, at this period, in the 95th percentile for actions taken that led directly to a goal, specifically take on. So, again, it shows that we can probably create overloads on the left and the right-hand side. I think I speak for many an Arsenal fan where I say we need to kind of go back to what we had the season before last year, where we looked equally as threatening down the right and down the left. We know some of this is due to the availability and our stronger players, or the Benjamin Whites, the Sackers, the Oligarchs on the right-hand side. We do appear at times, in my opinion, a bit lopsided. And again, with a defender that has the ability to beat players with a desire to run with the ball and without the ball, he can be a constant threat for Arsenal and currently for Bournemouth down that left-hand side. As much as I think his positioning can improve people, at the time, you know, going back to his AZ outmarked days, people, he had 3.93 interceptions per game, which shows someone that has a willingness to defend, nick the ball back, and maybe someone that could help Arsenal press high into the opposition's area. I do like the look of what I see from him. Also, at this same period, he had 85 tackles and interceptions in the Eredivisie. He made 135 recoveries that season. And when you look at duels, he scored 2.95, which again highlights his ability to win the ball on the floor and in the air and just shows he's an individual that has multi-layers to his game. He's as well renowned for his wholehearted defensive approach. Like I said, there's many things he could improve defensively and fine-tune, which Arteta could in theory get out of him. But he is someone that, you know, I might be exaggerating, but he'd rather die than let his opponent get the better of him. In the present day, you don't really see too many defenders that probably love to defend. He'll throw his body on the line and throw his body into challenges for the team and to win games. And it highlights his importance that in his debut season for Bournemouth, he made 33 appearances in all comps and 28 in the league. I do think early in the campaign he had some injuries and I think he missed a couple of games towards the end of the season that's just gone last year with a couple of knocks, people. But it shows he's an ever-present member of the team, which unfortunately, I would throw timber into that bracket of being fit, but he had an ACL injury. Zinchenko and Tomi Asu pick up knots. Kirill doesn't appear that he's convinced everybody, including Arteta wholeheartedly, and teams these days are numbered. Ultimately, he's got a great engine. He plays with high intensity. He's dynamic. He's got a good technical level. And all the other points I've mentioned, there's no wonder why he's drawing interest. Now, is there legitimate interest from Arsenal or is it off the basis that we've been linked with left-backs and it's a case of creative journalism? I'm not too sure if the journalists that have reported on such are the most creditable. No shade. I just don't know, people. In conclusion, again, I think he's got a good foundation. 33 Dutch top flight appearances. He's played 28 times in the Premier League. He's got 16 caps for Hungary. I can see why, based on the system at Bournemouth, he may have been flagged on the radar, potentially, of our scouting and coaching staff. Getting a deal done may prove difficult. At the end of the day, Bournemouth, if all of these clubs are interested, they're going to want top dollar and they've got an appreciating asset. And also, quite simply, they need him, really. Every team, in theory, wants to keep their stronger players, essentially, or they'll have to find replacements. He's basically just signed for them and already become a key player of them as they finish 12th. There's a lot to like, man. Good ball dominance. I think he plays with personality. He's got a good tactical awareness and he's got an immense offensive contribution. He's able to play inverted. You haven't seen that too many times, or as a traditional left-back, or a bit of both, if I'm completely honest with you. No doubt, his stock will continue to rise in the upcoming season. There's still many areas of his game that ultimately need to be ironed out, but I do like what I see people. I mean, some Bournemouth fans, definitely, and maybe some Manchester United fans will remember exactly how good he played against them in the season that's just gone. Ultimately, we don't know, based on reports, if Arsenal genuinely have an interest. We're not sure on Bournemouth's asking price, but from what I've seen of this guy and the more I do my homework, in theory, he'd be a great addition. With that being said, let me know your thoughts. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe. I'm off to make another video for you lot. You lot stay safe, stay blessed. Peace.