Arne Slot oversaw plenty of departures from Liverpool this summer.
Last season, the club looked like one of the best teams in the world, and their run in the Premier League was a clear sign of just how strong they were.
Although they exited the European competition after a loss to Paris Saint-Germain, they still secured victory in one of football’s most challenging domestic leagues.
Even so, Slot clearly felt changes were needed right across his squad. That meant letting go of some players he probably would have preferred to keep.
Tyler Morton’s move to Lyon went quietly under the radar
Tyler Morton’s departure from Liverpool did not attract much attention at the time.
The midfielder had a strong loan spell with Hull City in 2023-24 and probably expected more chances with the Reds’ first team last season, but he remained in the reserves.
Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch filled those positions instead, making Morton surplus to requirements.
His sale made sense, especially since he was seeking regular playing time.
Morton’s recent performances in Ligue 1, however, are prompting speculation that Slot may regret allowing him to leave.
Tyler Morton leading Europe’s top leagues in crossing accuracy
Back in his days at Liverpool’s academy, the 22-year-old was mainly seen as a holding midfielder. Players like James McConnell and Stefan Bajcetic were regular competition for that spot.
Even though Jurgen Klopp gave Morton a decent run of games, it was clear he viewed Bajcetic as the long-term replacement for Fabinho.
But after a season hampered by injuries, Bajcetic did not really kick on either. And while McConnell is currently out on loan at Ajax, it is Morton who seems to be finding his form elsewhere.
Lyon fans have already taken notice of how well he has been playing, with his tackling and passing standing out in Ligue 1 early on.
A statistic from Squawka shared via X highlights just how quickly he has settled in at Lyon.
They posted: “No player in Europe’s top five leagues has made more penalty area entries (29) or made more accurate crosses (10) than Tyler Morton so far this season.”
The fact that he has the most accurate crosses across Europe’s top five leagues is not something you would expect from someone playing in midfield rather than out wide.
It suggests that moving him slightly forward has allowed him to show what he can really do, which could leave Slot wondering if letting him go was the right call – especially given Endo is not getting any younger.
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