Newcastle United are actively scouting Tyler Morton ahead of a possible January transfer for the Lyon midfielder. The Magpies are considered favourites to secure a deal for the 23-year-old, who left Liverpool permanently last summer for an initial £10 million.

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown confirmed the ongoing assessment. "Newcastle have scouts watching the 23-year-old regularly in France and have assessed every strength and weakness of his game," Brown said. The interest fits into manager Matthias Jaissle's midfield rebuild at St James' Park following a summer of significant changes.

Morton has made 10 appearances for Lyon this term after featuring 43 times in all competitions last season. His performances in France have drawn attention back to England, with his old club Liverpool thought to be interested in a return. The Reds retain a 20 per cent sell-on clause from his sale to Lyon.

Morton's club struggles

The transfer speculation arrives as Morton's current club, Greenock Morton, battles a dire run of form. The Championship side sits 10th in the table with just one point from nine games. They have lost their last five consecutive matches, conceding 17 goals while scoring only five, leaving them with a -12 goal difference and 21 points behind leaders Stenhousemuir. Their most recent result was a 2-1 home defeat to Raith Rovers on 3 October.

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness suggested the battle for Morton's signature will be decided by playing time. Wyness reckons Newcastle are likelier favourites for a summer move than for January, noting the player originally left England due to a lack of football.

The wider landscape

Newcastle's pursuit of Morton is part of a busy transfer landscape. Arsenal are ready to make a fresh attempt to sign Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, 26, in January. Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, 27, is also expected to sign a new long-term contract. Elsewhere, clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are monitoring Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, while Manchester United and Liverpool hold interest in Rennes left-back Adrien Truffert, valued around £60 million.

For Morton, the immediate focus returns to club duty. Greenock Morton's next match is a key away fixture against Arbroath on 10 October. Arbroath currently sit seventh in the Championship, making it a vital game for Morton to try and improve their league position.

The report in full is at thefalse9.com