Liverpool clearly need an upgrade on the left side of their defence next season.

To many supporters, the deterioration in their options at left-back was something that really should have been addressed in January.

However, despite Andy Robertson having an elongated slump in form and Kostas Tsimikas no closer to being the answer than he was five years ago, Liverpool chose not to act.

Instead, the hope is that Robertson can rally enough to see the Reds through until the end of the season before being replaced by a younger model.

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For many, the ideal candidate is Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez.

Arne Slot spoke about Kerkez after watching him up close last weekend and the Liverpool head coach seemed reasonably impressed.

However, according to journalist David Lynch, Kerkez is not the only left-back on the shortlist for Liverpool.

Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Lynch has already stated this week that Liverpool will move on from Kerkez if they feel the Bournemouth asking price is too high.

In that regard, Rayan Ait Nouri has been mentioned as a potential option, but there are others besides.

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Now writing on his Substack column, Lynch suggests that Girona left-back Miguel Gutierrez is one of those to have made it onto Liverpool’s radar.

“The one obvious area for improvement understood to be being targeted is left-back,” says the reporter.

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“Andy Robertson is beginning to look less capable of producing his best form three times a week and perhaps better suited to the back-up role currently occupied by Kostas Tsimikas.

“There is well-documented interest in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, though Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez has also been watched closely.”

This is not the first time Gutierrez has been linked with Liverpool.

The 23-year-old even spoke about the Reds after facing them with Girona back in December.

“We went toe-to-toe with Liverpool and they are a superb team,” Gutierrez said at the final whistle of that game.

A Real Madrid youth team graduate with 10 senior appearances to his name, the full-back has been around an elite environment before.

With good experience in La Liga and the Champions League, Gutierrez looks to be an attacking left-back who has a reasonable release clause of around £34m.

Kerkez will likely still be the choice of many, but the Girona man could be a shrewd addition, too.