Liverpool transfer news: £15m midfielder deal 'close' as FSG pull off latest market coup

Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton is reportedly close to joining Ligue 1 outfit Lyon in a deal worth £15m.

The 22-year-old has returned to Arne Slot's squad on the back of helping England's Under-21s retain their European Championships title earlier this summer, featuring in five games at the competition and playing a starring role in the final.

Morton came off the bench to replace the injured Alex Scott in the showdown with Germany, and the 2002-born lynchpin provided the assist for Jonathan Rowe's extra-time winner in a dramatic 3-2 victory.

After enjoying a well-earned holiday, Morton was selected for Liverpool's pre-season tour of Asia, and he was named in the starting lineup for their 4-2 loss to AC Milan earlier this month.

However, Morton was then an unused substitute in Wednesday's victory over Yokohama F. Marinos, and the consensus was that the 22-year-old would be on the way out either on loan or permanently this summer.

Liverpool 'close' to £15m Morton sale

According to journalist Paul Joyce, Liverpool are now on the verge of selling Morton to seven-time Ligue 1 champions Lyon, who will pay a reasonable £15m fee for the Under-21 European champion.

It is unclear whether Morton has agreed personal terms or is open to joining Paulo Fonseca's team, but all the signs are pointing towards the 22-year-old crossing the Channel and calling time on his Anfield career.

Morton's move to the Groupama Stadium will bring an end to his 16-year stay at Liverpool, whom he joined as a seven-year-old in 2009 after turning down an offer to join Everton's academy setup.

The 22-year-old made his senior Reds debut under Jurgen Klopp in the 2021-22 season, but he only played 14 times for the senior team in all tournaments, registering one assist.

Morton enjoyed productive loan spells in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and Hull City during his time on Merseyside, but he did not play a single minute in the Premier League last season, where he spent the second half of the campaign in the treatment room with a shoulder injury.

Another day, another brilliant transfer fee for Liverpool

A £15m fee may be peanuts to some clubs in today's market, but £15m for a player who did not play a single minute of league football last season represents another magnificent piece of outgoing business for Fenway Sports Group.

Morton's talent and potential is there for all to see, but with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo all capable of filling the deeper roles, an exit was the best move for all parties.

The Reds' summer transfer income is now set to reach £128.9m thanks to the sale of Morton, who follows Luis Diaz (£60m), Jarell Quansah (£30m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.4m), Nat Phillips (£3m) and Caoimhin Kelleher (£12.5m) out of Anfield.

Those funds could very well have been reinvested into a deal for Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, but it is now understood that Liverpool will not be making a second offer for the Swede after seeing a £110m proposal rejected earlier on Friday.