Bournemouth have completed the signing of full-back Milos Kerkez from AZ Alkmaar.
The 19-year-old has put pen to paper on a long-term contract at the Vitality Stadium, joining the Cherries for an undisclosed fee thought to be worth more than £15m.
Kerkez was reportedly on the verge of joining Lazio before Bournemouth swooped and offered him the chance to play Premier League football next season.
The left-back has now become the club's third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Justin Kluivert and Romain Faivre.
"We are delighted to announce the signing of Milos, a talented young player with a great deal of potential," chief executive Neill Blake told the club website.
He's here, #afcb fans 😍 pic.twitter.com/VqiB0HvICn
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) July 20, 2023
"He was being tracked by a number of clubs in Europe but was very keen to join us after hearing about our plans and ambitions for the future.
"An athletic and attacking full-back, Milos will be an excellent addition to our exciting squad and we are looking forward to working with him."
Kerkez joined AZ in January 2022 and registered five goals and seven assists in 52 outings across all competitions for the Dutch outfit last season as they reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals.
The teenage defender earned his first international cap for Hungary last year and has gone on to make eight appearances for his country.
Bournemouth, whose left-back options had been depleted by the departures of Jordan Zemura and Matias Vina earlier this summer, will begin the new Premier League season at home to West Ham United on August 12, when Kerkez could make his competitive debut.
Barney Corkhill
