Liverpool's midfield struggles cast long shadow over Tyler Morton sale to Lyon

Liverpool director Richard Hughes is facing intense scrutiny regarding the sale of homegrown midfielder Tyler Morton to Olympique Lyonnais last summer. The transfer, completed for approximately £9m, has come under fire as the club grapples with a severe lack of midfield options under manager Arne Slot this season.

The current squad's inability to replicate the form of their 2024/25 title-winning core has forced the coaching staff into difficult personnel decisions. Key figures such as Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have failed to return to their peak performance levels, while injury issues have plagued the first-choice quartet. Consequently, backups including Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones, and Dominik Szoboszlai have been compelled to play out of position, with Endo serving as a long-term casualty of injury.

Tyler Morton, a Liverpool No6 who previously impressed during loan spells at Blackburn and Hull, was expected to secure a regular first-team role upon his return to Anfield in the summer of 2024. Despite being a former England U21 international, the 23-year-old was effectively frozen out of the squad by Slot. This lack of opportunity led to his departure, a move that is now characterised by insiders as a significant regret given the club's current midfield deficiencies.

Since joining Lyon, Morton has developed into one of the top performers in Ligue 1. His rapid ascent has attracted significant interest from major European clubs, with links reported between the midfielder and both Chelsea and Juventus. The contrast between his current trajectory and his exclusion from Liverpool's plans has highlighted the potential cost of the decision to sell him for a bargain fee.

Teammate Alex Scott has publicly endorsed the move, stating that Morton is an unbelievable player who required regular first-team football rather than playing primarily for the England U21s. Scott, a former England U21 teammate and current Bournemouth midfielder, described the transfer as a great decision for Morton, noting that the Wallasey-born midfielder was capable of playing for one of the best clubs in the world.

Scott recalled seeing Morton bossing the San Siro years ago, suggesting his potential was evident long before the transfer. He emphasised that a player of Morton's standard needs to be playing week in, week out for a top team, a sentiment that underscores the irony of Liverpool's current midfield struggles. The situation has left the club without the depth it needs, with the sale of Morton now viewed as a missed opportunity to bolster the squad at Anfield.