'Outstanding' £20m Liverpool midfielder set to stay at club amid loan interest

Liverpool youngster Tyler Morton is set to stay at the club this season despite attracting strong interest from Bayer Leverkusen.

Morton, who impressed once again on loan last season, at Championship side Hull, will bolster Liverpool’s central midfield ranks in Arne Slot’s squad.

The 21 year-old has attracted plenty of loan interest once again after impressing during pre-season.

Morton’s idol and Bayer Leverkusen Manager, Xabi Alonso, wanted to bring the midfielder to Germany for a season-long loan.

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Leverkusen had outlined Arthur Vermeeren from Athletico Madrid as their number one candidate, but the Belgian talent has since opted to go on loan to RB Leipzig.

The Bundesliga champions had reportedly promised Morton that he would play in at least 50 percent of their games this season, fitness dependant.

The 21-year-old has attracted plenty of interest from elsewhere too, with the likes of RB Leipzig, Sevilla, Eintracht Frankfurt, Feyenoord and a number Premier League sides keen on the midfielder.

Liverpool’s preference was a sale rather than another loan for Morton this summer with The Reds valuing the scouser at around £20 million.

FORMER MANAGER HEAPED PRAISE ON MORTON

Morton spent last year on loan at Hull City where he worked under manager Liam Rosenior, who expressed his admiration for him as a player back in November.

“Some of his play, honestly, he can do everything as a midfield player.

“When we were recruiting in the summer, he fits completely into the way we want to play.

“The beauty with Tyler is he can play deep and he can be just as effective there, but what we’ve seen in training is he can create and score goals.

“It was about fitting the functionality of the team around him. He was outstanding,” Rosenior said after a 4-1 victory over Rotherham.

Keeping Morton suggests Liverpool won't sign a midfielder before Friday's deadline after missing out on main target Martin Zubimendi earlier in the summer.

Morton found himself as a regular in Jurgen Klopp's squad back in the 2021/22 season and has experience of playing in the Champions League and Premier League for The Reds.

Morton was a standout in Liverpool's group stage win over AC Milan at the San Siro in 2021 and has demonstrated on other occasions also that he isn't shy of the big stage.