"Not gutted" - Middlesbrough FC backed over £10m Liverpool call | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has had his say on the failed move for Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton.

This article is part of Football League World’s 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Middlesbrough were keen on Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton in the final hours of the transfer window, but they were priced out of a move for the 22-year-old.

Reporter Paul Joyce revealed that Boro were monitoring Morton and considering a £10 million offer, as Michael Carrick looked to bolster his squad for the run-in. A midfielder who's always looking for the ball, Morton is often seen dropping deep to receive it from his central defenders, before turning out of pressure and progressing through the midfield lines.

He would slot in easily to a ball-dominant team like Carrick's for that reason. But no move materialised from anywhere for Morton, despite the fact that there was serious interest in him in the summer too, with Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig and Atalanta all tracking the player.

Boro were in a race against time to get this finalised by 11pm, and journalist Dominic Shaw also stated that there was a gap in the valuation between the two clubs. Further updates followed, as Nizaar Kinsella confirmed that an agreement could not be reached.

The verdict on Tyler Morton amid Middlesbrough interest

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit Jasper Hudson has provided his reaction to transfer talk and backed Boro's call not to pursue a deal at the fee Liverpool wanted.

He said: "The deal for Tyler Morton came out of nowhere, really.

"There was no prior speculation or links. There were obviously rumours of Dan Barlaser leaving earlier, which would’ve freed up the spot to bring in another midfielder. I feel like we were potentially waiting for the Emmanuel Latte Lath money to be confirmed and to go through to make a bid.

"I don’t think it was one that we snatched at. I think there would have been some insight into should Latte Lath leave, this is where some of the money could go. Or, should Barlaser leave, he could be a replacement. £10 million is obviously a big fee but the expectation is that you get a good player for that.

"Obviously, there’s rumours with Liverpool fans saying that there isn’t really any space for him at the club at the minute. He needed a move away and it seems like it’s not worked out for him. But, as a fan, I’m not gutted that we haven’t got a midfielder in.

"We’ve still got Barlaser. Yes, he’s not at the level we would like but as long as Hackney and Morris can play, that is a good midfield. Hopefully Jonny Howson will be back from injury soon.

"It would’ve been nice to bring in another midfielder but we decided to bring in forwards and sort of use up our transfer window bringing in attackers. It would’ve been nice to get a deal done but £10 million is a lot of money.

"And there was no guarantee with the player. I feel like a loan with an option to buy could have been a better deal from the perspective of him not having much senior football. There’s a lot of money involved for a player that hasn’t had that experience."

Tyler Morton would be a good addition to any Championship side

Despite his tender age, Morton has previously strutted his stuff in the Championship to a high level during the last two seasons, with Blackburn and Hull supporters both full of praise for his performances.

At his age, he is someone who can get better and fulfill more of his potential in the future, especially as the Liverpool youngster is wasted at Anfield and needs to secure a loan or permanent exit as soon as possible.

The 22-year-old has already made 79 Championship appearances, as well as being handed his Premier League and Champions League debuts with Liverpool.

However, he needs a move this summer, and perhaps Boro will be interested once again. That could depend on the future of Hackney at The Riverside, though.