Ahead of their Saturday match against Liverpool, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola confirmed does not plan to sell any more players in the January transfer window's final days but cannot rule out the possibility, saying: "wait and see." Even before the market opened, the Reds have been tied with links to Cherries defender Milos Kerkez.

For Arne Slot, the focus has remained on the challenge presented by teams in both domestic and European competition. Like last summer, only if an opportunistic deal that makes sense were to show itself would Liverpool act in this month's transfer market.

Nonetheless, rumours have remained persistent, particular those concerning defensive reinforcements. Question marks over Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas plus Joe Gomez's latest injury brought forward the suggestion a new left back is required.

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Due to strong performances in England this season, Kerkez - signed by Richard Hughes when formerly sporting director at the Vitality Stadium - has found himself tied with strengthening the lineage. Three days before the window shuts, Iraola has poured cold water on the 21-year-old or any of his key players departing now - in any ideal world anyway.

"I don't think anyone is gonna leave. But, in the market you never know what is going to happen. I don't think, the plan is not [to sell any more]," he said at his pre-Liverpool press conference.

"The ones who are with us continue until the end of the season. Let's wait and see what happens in three days. You don't know, maybe we have an offer of crazy money for someone. We are seeing what is happening in the last days with other teams, but that is not the plan, no."

A further tie to Anfield for Kerkez, scorer of two goals and provider of three assists this term, is his shared nationality with Dominik Szoboszlai. September's reverse fixture saw the duo mingle pre-match and just last week the Bournemouth full-back was complimenting the midfielder for his role in last weekend's 4-1 win vs Ipswich Town.

"It wasn’t a bad week," Szoboszla said in a post on Instagram alongside a picture of him celebrating his goal against Ipswich. Kerkez responded by saying. "Motivated [by] you my brother".