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Liverpool are interested in Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Liverpool remain confident of striking a deal for Milos Kerkez as talks with Bournemouth continue over the £45m-rated defender.

The Reds stepped up their efforts to land the Hungary left-back last week and are now in direct dialogue with the Cherries but are yet to make a formal offer, it is understood.

Bournemouth are currently out on the east coast of the United States, on an end-of-season break, but sporting director Simon Francis remains in touch with his predecessor Richard Hughes, who has been leading the talks over the deal for Kerkez with his former employers.

Hughes and Francis share a good relationship and the talks over an agreement for Kerkez are cordial as Liverpool continue to put the building blocks in place for a defence of their Premier League title next term.

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The Cherries rate their left-back at £45m but Liverpool are keen to bring down the valuation for a player who joined from AZ Alkmaar for around £17m less than two years ago as a 19-year-old.

The reformed transfer window, which was largely facilitated to help teams competing in this month's Club World Cup, opened on June 1 before closing on Monday for a week.

The rejigged dates, however, have had little impact in Liverpool's negotiations but the club remain keen to get as many targets through the door as early as possible to give them a full pre-season under Arne Slot.

Having already seen Dean Huijsen leave for Real Madrid after his £50m release clause was triggered, Bournemouth are not desperate to sell and are looking for a fee that would make the 21-year-old Kerkez the most expensive left-back of all time on Merseyside.

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However, there is an acceptance at the Vitality Stadium that an accord will be reached with the Reds, with Andoni Iraola's side already reportedly close to sealing a £10m deal for Rennes' Adrien Truffert.

And speaking on international duty after the Netherlands beat Malta 8-0 on Tuesday night, Kerkez's Bournemouth team-mate Justin Kluivert said: "He'll probably go there (to Liverpool).

He hasn't really said goodbye yet, but I hope he'll make it happen there."

Posting shortly after the Premier League campaign had ended on May 25, Kerkez posted hinted that his future could lie away from the Vitality, writing: "Thanks to the gaffer for trusting me to start all 38 games and special thanks to the one above for keeping me safe and healthy and of course nothing would be possible without my family, I don’t know what will happen in next week but cherries family thank you!"

Despite the long-stranding links to Kerkez, the Reds have only recently made contact with the south coast club and there is no sense that the deal is in danger of breaking down.

A formal offer has yet to be tabled by the Premier League champions but the Hungarian is the No.1 target as they seek to reinforce their left-back area.

The long-serving Andy Robertson is into the final year of his deal on Merseyside and an agreement for Kerkez will be done with a view to adding more competition in that area of the pitch.

"We're not daft, it looks as if a deal [for Kerkez] could potentially be done," Robertson told BBC Scotland recently.

I focus on myself – you can't focus on other people or who you're competing with.”

Speaking in April, Robertson outlined his desire for a new deal with the Reds, telling Jamie Carragher at a Football For Change charity event: "I am not as young as I once was but I love this club and I have had some great memories here, so let's see what the future holds.

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"I still believe I can still produce good performances and some really good performances and I think I have done that this season, so I still think I can produce at the top level and if I can do that then that is where I belong and hopefully I can stay here for many years to come."

The pursuit of Kerkez means Kostas Tsimikas, who has served as Robertson's understudy since his move from Olympiakos in 2020, will be surplus to requirements, with the Greece international attracting a host of suitors from the Premier League including newly-promoted Leeds United.