Tyler Morton is up there with Rodri and Declan Rice in terms of ball retention (Image: GETTY)
Liverpool youngster Tyler Morton features alongside the likes of Rodri and Declan Rice on a list of 100 top-performing midfielders from around the world. Morton has struggled to break into the Liverpool side in recent years and is currently on loan at Hull City, who will be counting on him to help them into the Championship play-offs at the end of the season.
Morton has impressed during his time at the KCOM Stadium, chipping in with seven goal contributions in 23 league appearances for Hull this season. He was recently named the EFL Young Player of the Month for January as a welcome reward for his efforts, while his incredible ball retention stats have seen him rank next to some of the world's best players.
According to CIES Football Observatory, Morton is currently among the top 100 midfielders in world football when it comes to ball retention under high pressure. His percentage of 86.9 sees him rank in 74th place, putting him above the likes of Douglas Luiz, Yves Bissouma, Billy Gilmour and Amadou Onana.
The highest-ranked player on the list is Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe, who boasts an unrivalled ball retention percentage of 93.4. Rodri is ranked in second place with a percentage of 92.1, while Rice features lower down on the list with a score of 89.0.
The Reds youngster has been impressing on loan at Hull City this season (Image: GETTY)
Morton's inclusion suggests that he could have a big future at Liverpool if he continues to develop on the right trajectory. He has spent the last two seasons on loan in the Championship and it seems that he is reaping the rewards of playing senior football, rather than being kept in Liverpool's academy to represent their age group teams.
Hull boss Liam Rosenior has waxed lyrical over Morton on several occasions during his spell at the club, saying in November: "When I saw Tyler play on loan at Blackburn last season, I fell in love with him straight away. He is everything I like in a midfield player.
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"He is not what I’d call a ball-winning midfielder, but he intercepts so many things and reads the game really well. He won’t like me saying this because he’s a Liverpool boy, but he reminds me so much of Michael Carrick. He was my favourite midfield player in that England generation as he was the guy that made everyone around him better.
"Tyler has so much potential. I think what helps Tyler at this moment in time is the fact that his style of play suits ours. If he played in a more direct team, he wouldn’t be able to direct the team in the way he wants or influence the game, but I still think there’s so much more to come."
Jurgen Klopp has also made it clear that he is a big fan of Morton, saying after the midfielder's Champions League debut in 2021: "Tyler is obviously a real talent, a real smart footballer. You can see this. His natural movements, natural positions, are really good, so he is a real football-smart boy and the technique is really good."
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