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Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez this summer, according to The Mirror.
The two Premier League giants are currently faced with a left-back dilemma and are being tipped to go into the market to get a new player.
Manchester United have largely struggled with injuries to both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia for the majority of the 2023-24 football campaign. The Red Devils also opted against keeping Spanish defender Sergio Reguilon for the remainder of the season, despite signing him on loan last summer. Academy left-back Alvaro Fernandez was also sent out on loan by United, as he wasn't considered ready to play for the first team by head coach Erik ten Hag.
Such has now seen Manchester United keen on prioritising the need for bringing in a new left-back this summer, with Kerkez rumoured to be a preferred option.
However, the Red Devils aren't expected to have a free run at the Bournemouth player, as Chelsea are reportedly also keen on signing the 20-year-old defender.
They have also had their fair share of injuries in the left-back department, with both Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell being hit with injuries this season. The club also opted to loan out Ian Maatsen to Borussia Dortmund and has frequently deployed Levi Colwill as a make-shift left-back.
Chelsea currently admire Kerkez and could be willing to battle it out with Manchester United this summer for the Hungarian's signature.
Kerkez is currently enjoying an impressive 2023-24 campaign at Bournemouth following his £15.5 million move from AZ Alkmaar last summer. He has made a combined total of 36 appearances across all competitions, registering one assist and helping his side keep six clean sheets.
Paul Merson predicts Chelsea vs Leicester City clash
The renowned football pundit has tipped Chelsea to secure a win against Leicester City when both teams face each other in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup this weekend. The Blues will be hoping to book a place in the next round of the competition and make a case for the title in a couple of months.
Speaking ahead of the FA Cup game at Stamford Bridge this weekend, Merson revealed that he expects Mauricio Pochettino's men to scale through.
He, however, did express concerns about their ability to take their feet off the pedal during games. He wrote in his column for Sportskeeda:
"I have got to go with Chelsea because Leicester City have other fish to fry at the moment. At this point in time I don't think they need this football match at all as they need to concentrate on getting back to the Premier League."
On his concerns about Chelsea's performance in games, he said:
"The problem with Mauricio Pochettino's side is that they play well for 10 minutes in a game and a bad for 20 minutes they need to step it up on this front."
