Tyler Morton
The 22-year-old Morton has officially ended his tenure with Liverpool, joining Lyon in a transfer deal worth up to £15 million. Morton’s move to the French club comes after a season of limited opportunities under his previous manager, which he found frustrating. Now, the midfielder is embracing a new chapter in his career with Lyon, where he has already started to shine.
Morton said: “I was on a golf course with my mates at the time. I’d heard about the move but didn’t speak about it too much because I’d been told I wasn’t leaving Liverpool. He (Alonso) told me how highly he rates me as a player. They wanted to sign me. They (Leverkusen) came in quite late that summer, but I spoke to the manager (Slot) about it and Liverpool wanted me to stay. I spoke to my agent, and we were pushing a move, but it was difficult. Liverpool told me I couldn’t leave at the time, which was fair enough, but if you want to go and play, then you’ve got to push it. I asked the manager. He was open with me and said he was going to keep me around. Nothing was going to change his mind. He needed me around the team as back-up. Some players have to take that role, and that’s the role he decided for me. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t ideal. I wanted to be starting games. If that was at Liverpool – the club I love – then incredible. But it wasn’t going to be. I think he (Slot) thought I was a good player, but I don’t feel the trust was there as much. In my opinion, the limited opportunities were down to trust and not ability. When I got my opportunity in the cup, I felt like I played well. That’s all I could say. I stuck at it, stayed focused, got through to the end of the season and played in the under-21 Euros, which was amazing. I had a few conversations with him during the season. A lot of footballers can be bitter about not playing and let their egos get in the way, but I’m not that type of lad. I personally disagreed with the limited amount of game time I got last season, but that was out of my control. I did everything I could. I played for the Under-21s when a lot of players wouldn’t.”
Morton’s reflections highlight the challenges he faced during his final season at Liverpool, where he felt his potential was not fully utilized. Despite the frustrations, he maintained professionalism and continued to contribute to the team whenever possible. His determination to secure more playing time led to his eventual move to Lyon.
Morton continued: “I was in Japan at the time. After what happened the previous season, where I didn’t play much, the club respected that’s what was going to happen. Liverpool were great with me. I don’t know whether it was them being like, ‘Thank you for what you’ve done, go and enjoy your football.’ Maybe it was a bit of humility. I was speaking to a few teams. It was an exciting time. My agent called me and said, ‘Lyon want to buy you’. Sometimes it can be slow with clubs; they might say, ‘Maybe if this lad leaves, we’ll get you in.’ That’s the reality of transfers. But Lyon were really serious. I asked the obvious questions (to manager Paulo Fonseca). He really wanted me and said I’d be playing straight away. As soon as I touched down from Japan, I was on the phone every minute to my agent, trying to push the move because it was an amazing one for me. It was difficult (to leave Liverpool). Mentally, I was kind of checked out in the end. I knew it was going to happen.”
Morton’s move to Lyon marks a significant step in his career, with the French club showing a strong commitment to his development. The midfielder’s decision to join Lyon was influenced by the promise of immediate playing time and the club’s serious interest in securing his talents. As Morton settles into his new environment, he looks forward to making a substantial impact in Ligue 1.
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