As the rest of the football world appears to lose its collective mind, Liverpool don’t tend to get involved in the late drama of transfer deadline day.
The Reds are extremely careful planners in the market and are known to actively avoid taking deals into the final throes of the window.
This January has been no different, with Liverpool set to make it a second winter window in succession without a signing.
However, that does not mean that there aren’t outstanding issues within the Liverpool squad.
One of those has very much been what to do with midfielder Tyler Morton. Morton has made just five appearances this season despite looking very much ready for first-team football.
After Rousing The Kop revealed interest from West Ham in Morton earlier this week, the 22-year-old looked set to leave before Monday’s deadline. And with just hours left of the window, Middlesbrough have made their move.
Middlesbrough make offer for Tyler Morton
Morton has had to be incredibly patient under Arne Slot this season.
With a potential exit on the horizon, Morton’s Liverpool career looked doomed after he was named on the bench behind James McConnell during Wednesday’s loss against PSV Eindhoven.
And although it had felt like it may never arrive, journalist Paul Joyce took to X on Monday evening to report a permanent transfer offer from Middlesbrough.
“Middlesbrough have made an offer for Tyler Morton, the Liverpool midfielder,” says Joyce. The fee could be significantly above £10 million depending on bonuses and add ons.”
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“Morton – who was wanted by Bayer Leverkusen last summer – is keen for more regular football. The two clubs have a good relationship given success of Ben Doak’s loan move from Anfield.
“One to watch in coming hours.”
Is it a good deal for Liverpool?
This all depends on how ‘significantly’ Boro’s offer is above £10m. If it is between £10-13m for example, then it would feel like there is no real upside to Liverpool letting Morton go.
His valuation was far higher than that last summer, when the Reds ultimately couldn’t get a deal over the line with Bayer Leverkusen. Should Boro’s offer be closer to – or above – £15m, though, then it becomes a different story.
Morton is a quality young player and there is a chance that the Reds come to regret letting him go.
But given how little the Liverpool academy graduate has played this season, they really could not say no to such a decently-sized fee. With McConnell set to stay put Morton’s place in the squad has already been filled. Let the boy go.
It should be noted that after Joyce’s initial reporting of an offer being made for Morton, the journalist later revised it to Middlesbrough ‘showing interest’ in the Liverpool man.
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