Uncapped England star who has tripled transfer value after Liverpool exit eyes first call-up

Liverpool have been told that former academy star Tyler Morton is now worth three times what the club sold him for last summer.

The 23-year-old has proved a revelation in his first season at Lyon to put himself in contention for a first senior England call-up.

Getty

Morton ended his 15-year stint with Liverpool by completing a deal worth around £15million to Ligue 1 after winning the Under-21 Euros.

He had looked set to leave Anfield the year before, having impressed under now-Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior on loan at Hull City in 2023/24.

Xabi Alonso had been keen to link Morton up with Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong following Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga triumph.

However, Arne Slot blocked the midfielder’s exit shortly after his appointment at Liverpool, having failed to sign Martin Zubimendi.

Yet he failed to play a single Premier League minute in the club’s title win last year and made just five appearances across all competitions.

Over half-a-season on from his move to Lyon, European football expert Andy Brassell believes Morton is now worth triple the money.

He exclusively told talkSPORT.com: “They lost [Alexandre] Lacazette, they lost [Rayan] Cherki, they lost [Georges] Mikautadze last summer, but they were able to win games, particularly at the start of the season, because they have a load of players who are good on the ball.

“Tyler Morton actually is a huge part of that because he was someone who [Lyon manager Paulo] Fonseca was, ‘We absolutely must get him’.

“He’s a player who I have a specific use for. I think he can fill this role, and in terms of being able to keep the ball moving in the attacking half of the pitch and take the sting out of the game when they’re not attacking, Morton has been exceptional.

“Liverpool sold him for £15m, he must be worth three times that now, he’s been so, so good this season.”

Slot’s Liverpool predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, had labelled Morton as ‘brilliant’, while Thiago Alcantara also tipped him to reach the top.

The Merseyside-born star is now living up to his potential at Lyon, having played over 2,300 minutes across 30 appearances this term.

Morton has two goals and as many assists in 19 Ligue 1 matches, while he has also featured in all eight of the club’s Europa League games.

Morton inspired by Scott’s England call-up

Despite his form, the defensive midfielder is an outside 66/1 price with talkSPORT Bet to make the England World Cup squad.

But Morton has been inspired to catch Thomas Tuchel’s eye by his former England Under-21 teammate Alex Scott, who did just that in November, following his Bournemouth breakthrough.

AFP

Getty

“A place in the England squad for the World Cup? It isn’t something that I’m obsessing about on a daily basis, but it is an objective to play for my country,” said Morton in a press conference last week.

“With the U21 side, we won the Euros, and it was incredible, so to play for the first team would be incredible.”

He added, “I am thinking about the present, and I know that if I’m focused on playing at my best level, it will come.

“Alex Scott is a player with whom I was close, and seeing him called up gives me a lot of confidence going forward.

“It would be incredible for my family and me if it happened. But for that, I have to continue to work and improve.”

Getty

Tyler Morton stats

In Ligue 1 this season, Morton tops Lyon’s midfielders with the most successful passes (868), touches (1287), distance covered (221.22 km), minutes played (1677), most tackles (21), and interceptions (14).

Brassell previously named Adam Wharton as a potential stumbling block for Morton breaking into the England team.

“They’re not the same player, but they’ve got a lot of similarities,” He added to talkSPORT.com last month.

“It’s difficult to imagine them both in the same team. Medium term, it’s possible for sure. Maybe something changes after this season.

“I guess you have to look at where Morton and Wharton go next.”

Getty

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish told talkSPORT last year that Wharton holds ambitions to play for a Champions League club.

Manchester United have him on a three-man list of midfield options, with figures quoted ranging from £60million to £80m.

Brassell continued: “It’s no exaggeration to say that if both of those players move next summer, Adam Wharton will cost four times what Tyler Morton will.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. If Lyon were to sell Tyler Morton for £25m next summer, that would be a 150 per cent profit.

“That would be pretty good. Obviously, Lyon are in a vulnerable financial position…

“I would love to see it be a Champions League club if Morton does go somewhere next season.

“If Lyon qualified for the Champions League, I would love to see him stay there and be a key part of a team that’s trying to make its way in the Champions League.

“I think if Morton can go up a level next season, whether that’s through Lyon getting in the Champions League or whether that’s going to a slightly better team in a slightly better league, and Morton gets his move to a real biggie, maybe that’s the point at which he can take advantage.”