Liverpool make transfer 'decision' on £20m rated midfielder amid interest from Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen

Premier League heavyweights Liverpool are planning to retain the services of academy starlet Tyler Morton despite interest from a number of top European clubs this summer.

The 21-year-old midfielder, who made his Reds debut three years ago in 2021, has failed to make the matchday squad for both of Liverpool’s opening two wins over Ipswich Town and Brentford, but remains a part of manager Arne Slot’s plans moving forward after a series of impressive displays throughout pre-season.

That’s according to Telegraph Sport journalist Chris Bascombe, who understands that the Merseyside club have turned down an initial approach from Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, enquiring about the player’s services.

The German champions are looking to bolster their options as they prepare for the prospect of Champions League football and are looking for a deputy to provide cover for Granit Xhaka.

Morton has been a part of Liverpool’s academy since 2009 and rose to prominence by playing a key part in the reserve team’s road to to the FA Youth Cup final in 2021. The Wallasey born midfielder has ambitions of adding to his current tally of just two Premier League appearances but faces competition from the likes of Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szboszlai, Waturo Endo and Harvey Elliot among others.

The three-time England U21 international played every single game for Blackburn Rovers during a successful loan spell in the Championship in 2022/23 as the club narrowly missed out on the play-offs. He also enjoyed an equally impressive stint at Hull City last season, which also ended with a seventh place finish.

The youngster, valued at around £20m, has been training with the Liverpool squad since Slot’s arrival and is likely to remain with the first team squad this season, despite interest from Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta and RB Leipzig. Former boss Jurgen Klopp had previously spoke highly of Morton, identifying him as a player with a bright future at Anfield in 2021.

After handing Morton his Champions League debut, Klopp said at the time: "Tyler is obviously a real talent, a real smart footballer. You can see this. His natural movements, natural positions, are really good, so he is a real football-smart boy and the technique is really good.

"He has a brilliant football brain — if he gets to the gym and gets a body he will be some football player! It was a big pleasure to watch the boy playing. The football knowledge and the football brain he showed tonight was absolutely exceptional."