Southampton are desperate to sign Flynn Downes permanently this summer but the club need a contingency plan in case a move does not materialise.
Manager Russell Martin was incredibly keen to reunite with Flynn Downes when he took over as Southampton boss last summer and managed to do so by securing the West Ham United man on loan.
Downes was a cut above in the Championship, running the midfield on a weekly basis and endearing himself to the St Mary’s faithful in the process.
The main priority for Southampton this summer is to sign Downes permanently and with West Ham now reportedly open to offers the Saints are hopeful they can sign the 25-year-old for less than £15 million.
However there remains a chance that move falls through for one reason or another and Southampton are therefore monitoring a £20 million alternative.
Southampton interested in Liverpool’s Tyler Morton
One player that the south coast club are considering is Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Southampton are ‘monitoring developments’ regarding Morton, with RB Leipzig currently leafing the race for his signature having made ‘initial enquiries’.
Liverpool are not short of midfield options and appear to view this summer as the perfect time to cash in on 21-year-old Morton following successful loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and Hull City.
He will not come cheap, though, with the Reds slapping a £20 million price tag on the player also attracting interest from Bournemouth.
Morton could play Flynn Downes Southampton role
Morton has really progressed in his time on loan in the Championship, owing to the fact he has amassed 79 league appearances over the past two seasons.
His talent was always clear despite having just nine Liverpool appearances, but Jurgen Klopp had concerns about his physicality as a teenager.
The German told Sky Sports after a Carabao Cup win over Preston in October 2021, when Morton was just 18: “You can see Tyler Morton. We have to send him to the gym as if he gets a body, he’s a brilliant footballer.
“There are some things to come physique wise, but the football brain is outstanding.”
Now, after two seasons in the second tier Morton has greatly improved physically but maintains the technical ability and footballing brain required to play as the holding midfield player in Martin’s Southampton side.
Having excelled in a similar role for Hull last season, Morton could be the ideal alternative to Downes.
However, given Southampton won just two of the ten league games Downes was absent for after signing last season, perhaps they should be targeting Morton even if they sign Downes given how integral the number six position is to how they play.