Liverpool have confirmed the sale of Tyler Morton to Olympique Lyonnais in a lucrative deal which could benefit the Premier League champions in the future.

Morton joined his boyhood club as a seven-year-old, working his way through the youth system before Jürgen Klopp handed him a first-team debut aged 18 in 2021. After watching the wisp of a teenager impress across the second 45 minutes of a Carabao Cup tie against Norwich City, Klopp had some blunt advice.

“We have to send him to the gym,” the German coach laughed. “If he gets a body, he’s a brilliant footballer. There are some things to come physique wise, but the football brain is outstanding.”

That mind, rather than any serious muscular gain, has earned Morton a permanent move to Lyon this summer. The French club, which started the summer window in the second tier after being relegated for financial breaches only to later be reinstated to Ligue 1, confirmed that England’s U21 European Championship winner had signed a five-year deal worth an initial £8.7 million ($11.6 million).

Tyler Morton
Liverpool are keen to recoup funds following a big summer of spending. | IMAGO / Every Second Media

Lyon are entitled to pay as much as £4.4 million ($5.8 million) in potential add-ons, while a 20% sell-on clause has also been included. These oft-forgotten contractual wrinkles can prove to be very beneficial.

Manchester United have banked in the region of £15 million ($19.9 million) from various sell-on clauses already this summer and Real Madrid are set to receive as much as £7.8 million ($10.4 million) from just one such deal.

Morton enjoyed loan spells in the Football League at Blackburn Rovers in 2022–23 before spending the following campaign with Hull City. The 22-year-old midfielder was exclusively on Liverpool’s books last term yet amassed just 351 minutes of senior football for Arne Slot’s first team.

The club’s search for a youthful replacement is expected to end with Trey Nyoni, per Paul Joyce of The Times. The 18-year-old midfielder made his Champions League debut under Slot last season although he is yet to feature in England’s top flight.


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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool Cash in on Academy Graduate, ‘Replacement’ Already Lined Up.

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