'They were talking': Liverpool were negotiating with league champions over £17m player this summer - journalist
09/07/2024 12:00 PM
Liverpool’s squad is set for at least the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Reds did not do much in the way of incoming business during the summer transfer window, signing only Federico Chiesa for the here and now.
As usual, there was plenty of movement going out of the door at Anfield, though. Liverpool recouped over £60m in sales and also saw a big number of players go out on loan.
For most of these players, there was little hope of featuring in the Liverpool first-team squad this season and so loan – or permanent – moves made sense.
Those who did stay will now have a further crack at getting into the team under Arne Slot, with Tyler Morton perhaps best placed to give that a real shot.
Why Liverpool did not sell Tyler Morton
Liverpool’s need for a new player to come in as an elite number six this summer has been well documented.
Supporters were on the whole not impressed that Liverpool decided not to sign anyone after missing out on Martin Zubimendi.
But, what the Reds’ insistence that they will not compromise did do, is put the spotlight on those already at the club.
Ryan Gravenberch has stepped up to fill the midfield role Zubimendi was pencilled in for and has done brilliantly so far.
But the lack of new signing could lead to a chance for Morton, too. The 21-year-old had looked likely to be sold this summer and Liverpool were in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a move. In the end, however, Morton stayed.
READ MORE: Three winners and three losers from Liverpool’s quiet transfer window
While that was a slight surprise, German journalist Christian Falk has now shed a little more light on what went on.
“Liverpool wanted guarantees that Morton would be involved in some matches because otherwise, it wouldn't make sense for them,” Falk says in his Fact Files column. “Leverkusen couldn't make any such guarantees.
“They were talking about a loan with a buy option, but Liverpool's answer was "no", as they couldn't see a chance for him to have an appropriate amount of game time.
“On the other hand, Liverpool wanted €20m [£17m], but this was too much for Leverkusen.”
Will Tyler Morton get game time?
Interestingly, the decision to keep Morton at Liverpool this season does not seem to have been made with the intention to play him in mind.
Instead, the right conditions simply couldn’t be found for a loan and a permanent transfer was too expensive.
As a result, Morton finds himself in a slightly frustrating position. After two seasons of playing week in, week out in the Championship, he’s going to have to get used to a different reality at Anfield.
Despite that, the academy graduate also now does have a chance to cement a long-term future at his boyhood club.
Morton may not have been initially slated to be part of Slot’s plans this season, but he’s here now. And if he can catch the Dutchman’s eye enough in training, he could yet force his way into the line-up.
