Andy Robertson departing at the of the 2025/26 campaign and Arne Slot eyeing a squad rebuild, Liverpool are reportedly turning to a familiar face to solve their defensive depth issues ahead of a crucial summer transfer window.
Andy Robertson announced he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season once his contract expires, and his replacement may be an internal solution, as Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas is expected to return from his loan.
For Liverpool supporters, the last few days have felt like a relentless barrage of “what if” and “what now.” The high of last season’s Premier League title under Arne Slot has been replaced by the cold reality of a trophyless April, capped off by a demoralising 4-0 aggregate Champions League exit to Paris St Germain.
But while much of the talk centre’s on the heartbreak of Hugo Ekitike’s season-ending Achilles rupture, a familiar name is beginning to dominate the conversation: Kostas Tsimikas.
With Andrew Robertson heavily linked with a move to Tottenham and his legendary tenure seemingly winding down, Liverpool find themselves at a crossroads.
While 21-year-old Milos Kerkez has shown flashes of brilliance most notably in that electric Champions League league phase 4-0 win over Galatasaray the young Hungarian has struggled for consistency.
Bringing Tsimikas back provides Slot with an “internal” solution. He knows the city, the culture, and most importantly, he remains a popular figure in a dressing room that is set to lose key leaders.
The Greek international during his time at Liverpool, completed a significant career move by joining AS Roma in August. This transition marked the end of a five-year stint at Anfield and was finalised as a season-long loan deal for the 2025–26 campaign.
The primary motivation behind Tsimikas’s move to Rome was a strategic effort to secure increased playing time and competitive consistency.
After years of serving as the primary deputy to Andy Robertson at Liverpool, the 29-year-old sought a fresh challenge in Serie A where he could feature more regularly as a starter.
For Roma, the acquisition was seen as a way to add elite European experience and tactical versatility to their backline under the management of Gian Piero Gasperini. Despite making 24 appearances, his performance levels have reportedly not fully met the expectations of the coaching staff.
Sportsboom reports that the 29-year-old has made his preference clear and that he would like to return to Merseyside next season. He joined the club in 2020 and was a squad player behind the Scotsman since.
He has made 17 Serie A appearances for Roma so far this season, but a lot of them have come as a substitute, including their recent 5-2 defeat to Inter Milan.
Tsimikas to make Anfield return
It’s understood that the Merseyside outfit have spoken to Tsimikas about being in the pre-season plans, as well as next season, though as a backup to 21-year-old Milos Kerkez.
The Hungarian struggled to adapt to life immediately at his new club, but he has massively improved over the past few weeks.
One of the main reasons he cited for coming back regarding reports is his relationships within the squad, which will be important with key players leaving, such as Robertson and one of the Greeks’ best friends, Mohamed Salah.
Money will have to be spent in several areas of the squad, with the disappointing campaign they have endured under Arne Slot.
A successor to the departing Egyptian will be at the top of the agenda, but other parts will be just as important, especially with Hugo Ekitike’s recent injury.
Introducing Tsimikas back into the first team allows the market to be attacked in other areas where it’s harder to replace internally, and even if it’s for a short period, it could benefit the club in the long run.
Since joining from Olympiacos, he has made 115 appearances for the team from Merseyside, and several more could be on the way.
Played his part for Liverpool
While it allows a hole to be filled in Slot’s squad, it would raise questions if they were to use a player that they willingly allowed to move 12 months ago to come back to play an important role.
The fullback has delivered some iconic moments for the club, from a penalty that won the FA Cup in 2022, an assist in the Carabao Cup final in 2024, and an immediate impact as a substitute against Nottingham Forest in 2025 which got a hard-earned point on the road.
However, he has always been a player who improves with the more games he plays and struggles to adapt to the tempo of a game when being introduced after time on the bench.
Kerkez has gone from strength to strength each week, but will need time to rest, and it’s unclear whether Tsimikas is good enough anymore.
He can’t start for a Roma team that is sixth in the league and has former Manchester City defender Angelino ahead of him in the pecking order.
The market will be interesting for the club if they fail to reach the Champions League, but finding a market opportunity will be more beneficial than relying on a stopgap, which the club have tried to avoid in the past.
It will be an interesting decision to make whether using a familiar option allows resources to be used elsewhere, or they decide a dependable backup is the alternative.
