Sheffield United transfer with Liverpool can help unlock promotion door for Chris Wilder | OneFootball

Chris Wilder's Sheffield United need signings in January, and Tyler Morton's loan from Liverpool would be the perfect start.

Sheffield United are weighing up a loan approach for Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton in January, which has become paramount in recent weeks and given the depth of Chris Wilder's squad.

The Blades are yet to secure a takeover at this stage and whilst uncertainty continues regarding their ownership situation, it remains to be seen how much they will have to spend during the upcoming window. It may mean that they require loans once again over permanent signings in January.

The lack of funds meant they were restricted somewhat during the summer but they still made some very shrewd moves in the transfer market to strengthen their squad after being relegated from the Premier League. Sheffield United cannot afford to sit still in the winter, with many of the promotion contenders expected to strengthen.

Morton could be one of the better signings available for the Blades to make and here we look at exactly why they should be top of their priorities list to get ahead of each of their rivals for his signature.

Tyler Morton linked with switch from Liverpool to Sheffield United

The Sun revealed on Sunday that the Blades are eyeing up a move for the 22-year-old after Oli Arblaster suffered an ACL injury in his side's 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday towards the end of November.

Arblaster's injury came as a huge shock and blow at Bramall Lane, and despite Sydie Peck impressing, bringing in players with more Championship experience at the base of midfield should be high up on Wilder's January list.

It seems likely that Wilder's young midfield star will be out for the remainder of the season and therefore bringing in a replacement this winter is incredibly important to ensure that they have both the ample cover and the required quality in midfield. Morton, who has previously spent time on loan in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, is thought to be of interest to the Blades at this point.

He hasn't won much senior game time at all this season, while he is at a stage of his career where he needs to be obtaining as much game time as possible. The Liverpool youngster is wasted at Anfield and needs to secure a loan or permanent exit as soon as possible.

Where he will end up remains to be seen but Bramall Lane could certainly be an ideal location for him. Even though, notoriously, the winter market has proven to be a difficult one to find players who have a meaningful and instantaneous impact.

It is an extremely unfortunate occurrence to lose a specialist central or holding midfielder to a long-term injury when Wilder is already dealing with a thin squad in most areas, and while Gus Hamer could be dropped deeper, given that he is highly capable of functioning in multiple midfield roles, a specialist alongside Vini Souza would provide some stability and continuity in profile-terms in the double-pivot.

With Arblaster out injured for the whole campaign, Morton has a decent chance of winning plenty of game time at Bramall Lane and making his spot in the team his own, which is something he desperately needs at this stage of his career if he wants to develop.

Despite his tender age, he has previously strutted his stuff in the Championship to a high level during the last two seasons, with Blackburn and Hull supporters both full of praise for his performances. It's a loan deal that could be mutually beneficial to both the player and the club if Sheffield United win the race to sign him over their second-tier peers.

At present, Morton has been languishing in the reserve team for the most part. He has appeared in Premier League 2 games, as well as the EFL Trophy, with only two senior appearances in the EFL Cup and six unused substitute appearances on the bench in the Premier League.

Why Tyler Morton is a perfect fit for Sheffield United

The 22-year-old has already made 79 Championship appearances, as well as being handed his Premier League and Champions League debuts with parent side Liverpool. His short and long-term future at Anfield remains unclear, however, as the Reds' midfield is stacked with world-class talent, and indeed, players such as Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones are all no older than 23.

His pathway seems blocked in that sense, meaning a move to South Yorkshire, at least temporarily, could suit all parties. So far, he has played just 72 minutes of football in EFL Cup ties against Brighton and West Ham United; it is not good for his development to be featuring so infrequently when he requires regular first-team football.

Having signed a long-term contract in January 2023, Liverpool clearly see a future for their young star and therefore a loan move makes sense. In many ways, he is the ideal sort of midfield player for this Sheffield United team, given his assured nature in possession and the amount of responsibility he is willing to have in possession at such a tender age.

A midfielder who's always looking for the ball, Morton is often seen dropping deep to receive it from his central defenders, before turning out of pressure and progressing through the midfield lines. He is comfortable at carrying the ball, but in any respect, he can make things happen with the ball at his feet in order to create attacking opportunities as a deep-lying playmaker.

The England U-21 international is evidently someone that Liverpool is patient with and willing to nurture, as they allow him to continue progressing as a footballer by constantly sourcing him senior football in the EFL. However, no loan move materialised this summer, and he is well down the pecking order for Arne Slot.

While he has been overlooked by Slot for the majority of this season, Morton is more than ready for another spell in the Championship, and he would be a standout signing for Wilder. Previous loans have been filled with promise as he looks to display his ability to the Merseyside club's hierarchy, and this could be his most significant loan yet if he secures it.

He would slot in easily to a ball-dominant team, and while the Blades haven't been that at all times this season, Morton could add another dynamic alongside Souza and the other technical forward players ahead of him, as he has already proven to be a player who is capable of dictating the tempo of games at the base of midfield.

With Alfie Gilchrist, Harry Souttar, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi all Premier League loans who are currently benefiting greatly from their time with the club so far, Liverpool will know that Wilder is affording the sorts of chances they need with the guaranteed game time, making a move even more likely to come to fruition.

Morton's quality is developing year-on-year, and he could be a strong addition to provide depth and some attributes they lack in midfield as well.