Richard Hughes, do something! £35m homegrown playmaker is wanted by Newcastle and Chelsea | OneFootball

Liverpool are crying out for midfield reinforcements.

It’s clear that Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have dropped their levels somewhat compared to the 2024/25 Premier League title-winning season.

Dominik Szoboszlai, meanwhile, has been pressed into action at right-back as well as right-wing.

Question marks remain over Curtis Jones’ long-term future - considering the homegrown talent is out of contract in 2027 and no new deal is yet on the horizon.

Wataru Endo - the last of the senior midfield quintet - is now 33 and it would be no surprise to see the Japan captain leave this summer.

Arne Slot has been reluctant to use fringe talents to supplement the middle third - opting to send Luca Stephenson and James McConnell on loan while barely using Trey Nyoni.

The sporting director Richard Hughes also sanctioned an initial £9m deal for Tyler Morton last summer with the homegrown midfielder joining Lyon in the French Ligue 1.

Liverpool send Morton to Lyon

That could be a decision which comes back to haunt the Premier League champions in seasons to come.

Morton is proving himself as good enough to at least compete for a spot in the Liverpool midfield but Slot largely ignored him for the one season they did have together.

But other Premier League teams are now eyeing a deal for the 22-year-old according to a new report in Sports Boom.

It appears Newcastle are at the front of the queue for Morton’s signature - but the presence of Chelsea among the teams scouting the playmaker this season will surely raise eyebrows at Anfield.

“Scouts from Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest have tracked Tyler Morton on-site in at least four different matches over the past month,” the report reads.

Morton could have provided cover and competition

Morton could have provided competition and cover for Gravenberch and Mac Allister this season - with “leaked” scouting reports effusive in their praise of the player’s transformation this term.

“His precision in 40-meter diagonal balls is transforming him from a 'traditional number six' into a sophisticated 'modern playmaker',” the report concludes.

The Magpies are set to lose Sandro Tonali this summer with Liverpool reported to be on the Italian’s trail - and it appears Eddie Howe’s side have set the ball in motion regarding a deal for England under-21 star Morton.

© IMAGO - Tyler Morton Liverpool Lyon

Lyon to ask for £30m to £35m for Morton

“Newcastle United is reportedly testing the waters through intermediaries and preparing a preliminary protocol for the summer window,” the report reads.

But is this a deal Liverpool should be getting involved in?

They sold him last summer for a fee that could end up reaching £13m - adding in a clause which would see Liverpool taking 20 percent of any profit banked by Lyon.

“Lyon holds a strong position with negotiations expected to start at €35-40 million,” the report reads.

That equates to around £30m to £35m for Morton - who is under contract until 2030. So even if he ends up leaving the Reds they stand to cash in at around £4m to £5m.

That said the club’s fans would love to see Morton brought back having witnessed his development in France.

The biggest shame is that Hughes didn’t include a buyback option in the deal. As it stand the Anfield side are powerless to prevent other teams swooping in.