Tyler Morton transfer: Potter to ‘Brightonify’ West Ham with Liverpool signing
West Ham United hired Graham Potter as their new head coach in January hoping that he can recreate his Brighton success at the London Stadium.
Potter may have taken the memo too seriously as he has already roped in Kyle Macaulay, who worked with him as the chief of scouting at Brighton before doing the same at Chelsea, as the Irons’ new head of recruitment.
The English tactician is now on course to make Evan Ferguson his first signing as the West Ham boss, with a straight loan deal for the Seagulls hitman already in place, according to Fabrizio Romano.
However, the ‘Brightonification’ of West Ham may only truly begin if and when they sign Tyler Morton from Liverpool.
Tyler Morton may be available for West Ham
The Guardian reported via their website on Sunday (2 February) that the Hammers are interested in signing Morton ahead of the transfer deadline on Monday, 3 February.
But, how would the 22-year-old help ‘Brightonify’ West Ham in a way that Potter, Macaulay and Ferguson – all of whom with an actual connection with the Seagulls?
Macaulay was brought in due to a necessity at the London Stadium. The same is true for the Ireland international, although his transfer is yet to be confirmed.
West Ham had already sidelined Tim Steidten, who was previously responsible for recruitment, before Potter was appointed and needed someone to take that responsibility, thus justifying Macaulay’s hire.
Meanwhile, the centre-forward position has been a major area of concern for the Premier League side this season, especially after Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug were sidelined with serious injuries. That is why Potter turned to Ferguson.
Midfielder, though, is not a position that needs immediate attention at the London Stadium, at least on paper, as they have Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, Tomas Soucek and Carlos Soler in their ranks.
Potter preferring a variation of the 3-4-3 formation means that the Irons essentially need only two midfielders in the starting eleven.
However, Morton’s signing would be reminiscent of some of Brighton’s best transfer business (like Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo) during Potter’s time there.
The Seagulls are known for snapping up players before they hit their peak and are noticed by other clubs, and then sell them for a significant profit later.
Make no mistake, West Ham are a bigger club than Brighton and there is no reason to aspire to be them.
However, Tony Bloom’s business model at the Amex Stadium is something most clubs in the Premier League would be envious of, and it would be hugely beneficial for the Hammers if they could recreate that in some manner.
Now, Morton may have only made 14 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool so far, but most Reds fans would agree that he is good enough to start for several Premier League clubs.
At 22, the midfielder oozes quality on the ball and displays a significant defensive acumen, making him an ideal player to play in a double pivot in Potter’s system.
Once lauded by Jurgen Klopp for his “outstanding” football brain [TNT Sports], Morton is yearning for a platform to show what he is all about – something that Potter could offer at the London Stadium.
Furthermore, he would also come in as a homegrown player.
Morton could easily establish himself as a key player for the East London outfit for the years to come or even be sold for a hefty profit a few windows down the line in a way that would reminiscent of Brighton’s model.
In other West Ham news, a Premier League club are eyeing an eleventh-hour move for this Irons ace.
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