21-year-old Liverpool youngster says he’s trying to play just like Jude Bellingham

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Liverpool may have missed out on him to Real Madrid in the summer, but they could now have their very own Jude Bellingham coming through the ranks.

That’s if Tyler Morton has anything to do with it anyway. The 21-year-old has been excellent on-loan at Hull City this season. And speaking to the Liverpool ECHO about his development, Morton says he’s trying to be a bit of a Bellingham.

“I just love being versatile,” explained the youngster. “That’s what I’ve always said: I want to be a versatile midfielder. You see the best midfielders in the world, the likes of Jude Bellingham. If you want him to play ‘six’, he’ll play ‘six’. If you want him to play ’10’, he’ll score you goals. That’s the type of player I want to be.

“I want to be someone who’s trusted in many positions for different reasons and I feel like that’s the direction I’m heading. I feel like in the ”six’ I control the game, I feel like in the ’10’ I can create and that’s what I’m doing at the moment.

“I’ve been given that freedom to really get in the box and show that side to my other game that I didn’t really show last season as much as I wanted to. But this season I’m getting more freedom to go ahead because the coaching staff are top quality and they can see it in me that I can get forward, I can score, create. I’m so grateful to them for the help they have given me and the trust they have given me to explore that side of my game, which I always had when I was a kid.

“That’s what I’ve always wanted to be. Every lad that’s from near Liverpool wants to be Steven Gerrard, don’t they? I’d love to be that type of player, the box-to-box, doing both sides of the game.”

Morton explains Bellingham inspiration

How nice would it be if Liverpool can get their very own Bellingham/Gerrard hybrid upon Morton’s return from Hull.

As they search for the missing piece to their midfield jigsaw, that may be the answer the Reds have been looking for.

But of course it would be unwise to put too much pressure on that expectation. Just because Morton is modelling his game on two such lofty idols, it doesn’t mean he’ll reach their level.

Even if he doesn’t though, it’s great to hear the academy graduate mention the likes of Bellingham and Gerrard here. He clearly wants to push himself to be the best that he can be.

And so far, he’s doing that really well at Hull. As Morton says, he’s been given a little more freedom by Liam Rosenior, and already has three goals and two assists in 16 Championship games.

He played a lot as a No.6 during his short time in the Liverpool first-team. But his new-found attacking prowess will be food for thought for Jurgen Klopp.

If there’s one thing Jurgen loves in his midfielders – and players in general – it’s versatility. Adding more strings to his bow can only help Morton in the long-run at Liverpool.

Some will have already written Morton off as a longer-term option for the Reds. But if he can keep on the trajectory he’s currently on, there’s no reason he can’t get a look-in next season. Bellingham he may not be, but Tyler is turning into a super player in his own right.