Sunderland should pursue Liverpool January transfer deal to aid promotion push | OneFootball

Liverpool's Tyler Morton would be a shrewd addition for Sunderland if they could make it happen in January.

Sunderland have enjoyed a brilliant start under Regis Le Bris, with his side sitting top of the Championship.

After a turbulent summer, which saw a delay in appointing the Frenchman, as well as the sale of their best player, Jack Clarke, it’s fair to say the Black Cats were a real unknown going into the campaign.

However, after 15 games, Le Bris has made his mark, and the young talent in the squad has really stepped up to play a big part.

Sunderland need to add quality in January

Even though there’s a lot of football to be played between now and January, it’s highly likely that Sunderland will be in the promotion mix in the New Year, and promotion is going to be the aim for the Wearside outfit this season.

As a result, January could be pivotal, but pleasingly for Sunderland, they aren’t in a position where they need to panic.

Instead, it will be about adding quality if it becomes available, and one player they should be pushing to bring in on loan is Tyler Morton.

Tyler Morton would improve Sunderland’s midfield

Some will perhaps understandably say that midfield isn’t a priority for Sunderland, with full-back cover and a striker arguably more pressing concerns.

But, Morton would be a real coup for the club, and he would bring bite and more technical ability to the midfield.

The 22-year-old is proven at this level, having impressed with Blackburn and Hull City in the past two years. So much so, there had been talk that he could force his way into Arne Slot’s plans at Anfield.

That hasn’t happened though, with Morton yet to play in the Premier League or the Champions League, so you would imagine that the Reds would sanction a temporary switch for the midfielder in the next window, providing injuries don’t hit.

And, Sunderland should appeal to both Morton and the Premier League leaders, as they’re a big club, who will be competing for promotion, so he will be entering a high-pressure environment that will test him.

Additional depth in midfield could help Sunderland

From Sunderland’s perspective, Dan Neil and especially Chris Rigg are very young players, and whilst they have been outstanding, there has to be an understanding that they may not maintain these levels over 46 games.

Alan Browne has proven himself to be a very capable player, whether that’s starting or coming off the bench, but the reality is that Morton would represent an upgrade.

With the Black Cats top of the league, the way teams play against them could change over the coming months, and Le Bris’ men can do more in possession.

As it stands, they’re 18th in the league right now for possession, averaging 46.5%, which is somewhat surprising.

There’s no correct way of playing, and Sunderland’s results show they’re doing the right thing. Nevertheless, the boss will want more control moving forward, and Morton could help on that front.

As well as bringing a physical edge, he is effective and quick in possession, and he could ensure the Black Cats are better at grabbing the game in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, Sunderland are in a great position, and that should help them in January as they seek to bring in the two or three quality additions that can help them in this promotion race - and Morton would be a real statement signing if they could get him in on loan.