'It's the intensity': How Iraola is changing Liverpool on U.S. preseason tour - ESPN

CHICAGO — Milos Kerkez was asleep when the news broke. Liverpool's decision to sack head coach Arne Slot less than a week after the conclusion of the team's disappointing 2025-26 season was a logical one — and yet the immediacy of the Dutchman's exit still caught several players off guard.

«I was surprised,» Kerkez told reporters, including ESPN, at Liverpool's preseason hotel in downtown Chicago. «I really didn't know. I was back in Serbia, I was sleeping and my brother woke me up. He knocked on my door and it was a big surprise. Nobody knew. I couldn't believe it, I was like: 'Wow.' I have been in touch with him since, and we have exchanged a few messages.»

It was likely not the turn of events Kerkez envisaged when he joined Liverpool in a £40 million move from AFC Bournemouth last summer. He arrived just weeks after the Reds were crowned Premier League champions following a stunning first season under Slot's stewardship. For the defender and for the club, the past 12 months have been a challenging learning curve.

Liverpool ultimately clinched UEFA Champions League qualification on the final day last season by virtue of a fifth-place finish, while Kerkez recovered from a difficult start at Anfield to become one of the few positives in an otherwise miserable campaign. Still, there is a sense that the Hungary international is yet to unlock his full potential, which is why a reunion with former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola — who replaced Slot as Liverpool head coach last month — is such an enticing prospect for him.

«I was delighted, honestly,» Kerkez said of his reaction to Iraola's appointment. «I worked for him before, and he helped me and improved me a lot in the two years that I spent with him. I was really happy,