West Brom should try and trump Sheffield United in race to sign Liverpool player | OneFootball

Liverpool's Tyler Morton would be a real coup for West Brom if they could sign the midfielder on loan.

West Brom are gearing up for a hectic final few weeks of the January transfer window, with the club looking light in key areas on the pitch.

Of course, the immediate priority for the hierarchy is appointing a head coach, following the failure to finalise a deal with Raphael Wicky, which came as a setback to all at The Hawthorns.

In an ideal world, the new head coach would have a say in transfers, but the recruitment team at Albion will have a list of targets that they believe can help the team, regardless of who is in charge.

And, whilst the Baggies are currently occupying the final play-off place in the Championship, they do need to add more quality if they are to seal a return to the Premier League.

West Brom need to upgrade midfield options for second half of 2024-25

Carlos Corberan was working on a strict budget at Albion in the summer, so it’s hard to be too critical of the Spaniard, who has since departed for Valencia.

However, it’s fair to say, on reflection, that West Brom’s summer business was hit-and-miss, and one signing that hasn’t worked out was Uros Racic.

The Serbian international arrived at the club with a good pedigree, but he hasn’t made the impact that the club would’ve wanted.

Whilst Ousmane Diakite is improving after a slow start, and Jayson Molumby and Alex Mowatt are capable Championship players, you do get the feeling that Albion are lacking that star quality in the middle of the park that many promotion rivals boast.

Tyler Morton facing uncertain Liverpool future amid Sheffield United interest

Therefore, the club should be doing all they can to secure a move for Liverpool’s Tyler Morton ahead of the deadline.

The 22-year-old has spent the past two years in the Championship, with Blackburn and then Hull City, and he has been linked with a return to the Tigers, along with Sheffield United, as FLW exclusively revealed in December.

The Blades' interest would be a real concern from Albion's perspective, as they are currently third in the table, and pushing for automatic promotion, so you can see why a move to Bramall Lane would appeal.

But, given their success, Chris Wilder may be reluctant to throw Morton straight into the side, and the priority for Liverpool will be that their academy graduate gets game time if they do agree to send him out on loan, which looks like the best next step at this point in his career.

Tyler Morton could flourish in the Championship - West Brom should be pushing for his services

It’s fair to say Morton impressed with both, as the England youth international is a player with a varied skill set.

He has the physicality to cope with the demands of the division, and is more than happy to do the aggressive side of the game, when it comes to winning duels and playing with intensity.

Yet, Morton excels with how he can control the game and play forward quickly.

That’s why clubs like Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta and RB Leipzig were all keen on Morton in the summer, which gives an indication as to how highly-rated he is in the game.

A move abroad didn’t materialise, and it would have frustrated Morton, who remained at Liverpool, but he barely features under Arne Slot.

So, a January switch would suit the player, who will want to get back out on the pitch to demonstrate why he is regarded so highly, and it could effectively put him back in the shop window ahead of the summer.

As mentioned, if he did move to the Black Country, Morton would get guaranteed minutes, and he would be playing in a high-pressure environment as Albion chase promotion to the Premier League. Then, in the summer, he will reassess his options as he looks for his career to really take off.

Whoever is in charge would welcome the chance to work with a player like Morton, who could quickly establish himself as a key figure for the Baggies.

West Brom are preparing for a critical period in their season, and short-term future, and bringing in a new head coach is the aim. But, they must also be active in the market, and the focus is on quality to help the new boss - and Morton would be a fantastic deal if they could pull it off.

It would be a statement of intent to beat the Blades to his signature, and it could be the sort of loan signing that inspires a promotion push, as we have seen several times over the years.