'I've got to be selfish' – Liverpool midfielder fuels January exit rumours

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Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton says it’s ‘decision time’ over his future and he has to be ‘selfish’ for the sake of his career this January.

The Wirral-born 22-year-old rose through Liverpool’s academy ranks and made his competitive debut for his boyhood team as a substitute in the side’s Carabao Cup victory over Norwich in September 2021.

But Morton spent the last two seasons on loan with a view to guaranteeing regular playing time, first with Blackburn Rovers, where he made 46 appearances in all competitions across an impressive 2022/23 campaign.

Morton followed this up with a season-long loan switch to Hull City last term, establishing himself in the middle of the park as the club finished just outside the playoff spots in the Championship.

A number of teams, both in England and overseas, have been credited with an interest in Morton in recent months, with Bayer Leverkusen reported to have seen a transfer bid rejected for the England Under-21 international.

Hull and Sheffield United have also been heavily linked and there is mounting speculation that Morton could be set for another temporary move away from Merseyside before the January transfer window closes.

‘This month is obviously a big month for myself and it’s decision time,’ Morton told Liverpool’s official website after featuring in the club’s FA Cup third-round win over Accrington Stanley.

‘I think I’m ready to kick on and be a proper professional as I always say.

‘Definitely, I think I’m ready to kick on now and I’m ready to move up a step.

‘If that’s here or if that’s somewhere else, I think football’s football and I’ve got to go and be a bit selfish and go with however I feel.’

Morton was making only his third start of the season in Liverpool’s 4-0 defeat of Accrington Stanley and the youngster believes he ‘deserved his chance’ with his application in training.

‘It's been tough for me this season, minute's wise,’ he added.

‘I think I've handled it very well, I've kept my head down and given it everything every day.

‘I think I do deserve a chance.’

Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s third-round tie, Arne Slot moved to ease fans’ expectations in the January transfer window.

Asked whether he expected the Reds to make any additions, the Dutchman replied: ‘It would be a bit weird, when I said during the summer break that we were very happy with the team, if I would tell you something completely different now, but you always look at the market.

‘This club has always looked at the market. We did this with the goalkeeper [Giorgi Mamardashvili] that we don’t even have yet.

‘If there is a chance in the market, this club always tries to bring that chance in. The team is in a good place.

‘Unfortunately, Joe Gomez is injured, and that means we go from four centre-backs to three, but he will be back in a few weeks.

‘I’m very happy with the team, and I think they deserve that trust from the club and from me, if you look at the performances they’ve brought in during the first half of the season.’

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