Liverpool transfer news: Tyler Morton & Bobby Clark set to stay despite Championship loan interest
The young midfield duo are expected to kept around by Jürgen Klopp with a view to playing in cup competitions
Liverpool are set to keep midfielders Tyler Morton and Bobby Clark at the club this season, despite substantial loan interest in the duo.
Both Morton, 20, and Clark, 18, had been expected to seal temporary moves away from Anfield before Friday’s transfer deadline, with a host of Championship clubs keen on signing the highly-rated pair.
Morton, who impressed last season with Blackburn Rovers, has recently returned to training after a foot injury and was targeted by Hull City, among others, but Jürgen Klopp has told the academy graduate this week that he will be part of the Reds’ first-team squad, at least for the first half of the campaign. Liverpool are understood to have been impressed by Morton’s performances at Blackburn, plus his approach to his rehabilitation from injury, and appreciate his ability to play both as a No.8 and as a No.6.
Morton will now target the Europa League group stages, which get underway in September, and the Carabao Cup third-round clash with Leicester City as potential opportunities.
The same applies with Clark, who had interest from at least half a dozen Championship clubs after a productive 12 months which has seen him make his Premier League debut, start at Anfield in the Carabao Cup against Derby County last November and impress during pre-season with the first team this summer.
The former Newcastle trainee’s progress is set to be rewarded with a new contract, but as it stands he is expected to stay on Merseyside rather than going out on loan. Whether that changes during the final 24 hours of the window remains to be seen.
Nat Phillips is one player who will be departing, having agreed a loan move to Celtic, initially until January, while midfielder Melkamu Frauendorf is also set to go out, with at least four Bundesliga teams fighting to sign him on loan.
In terms of incomings, Liverpool are hoping to add another midfielder, Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, to their squad before the window closes on Friday, with negotiations ongoing over the 21-year-old Netherlands international, who would cost in excess of £25 million ($32m).
Feel this is the correct decision if it ends up being that. You can always reassess again in January but for now with the Europa League group stages games they might as well stay