How former Liverpool prospect found love for football again

"I'll be honest, French food isn't really for me," laughs Tyler Morton. "We have arguments about it with the players. They've made me try a lot of different things. I probably need to expand my palate. But I love English food and English culture."

It is a small but telling sign of the adjustment Morton has had to make since swapping Liverpool for Lyon last summer.

In a city famed as the gastronomic capital of France, the 23-year-old is still finding his feet off the pitch, but on it he has settled seamlessly into a central role in Paulo Fonseca's resurgent side, operating at the base of midfield and dictating Lyon's play.

It has been a refreshing change for the English midfielder after a difficult final season on the fringes at Anfield - one that left him searching not just for minutes but for a sense of purpose once more.

"I was so hungry to play again and find my love for football again," Morton reflects. "It's really difficult when you don't play. It's so tough. You don't get to show everyone how good you are. I'd never been more hungry to play football in my life."

'I've discovered things I didn't know I had as a player'

For Morton, leaving his hometown club was a wrench. He had been at Liverpool since the age of five, rising through the academy to be hailed as one of the club's brightest prospects after breaking into Jurgen Klopp's side in 2021-22.

But after promising loan spells at Blackburn and Hull, opportunities dried up under Arne Slot and Morton found himself at a crossroads.

The decision to move abroad was not simply a change of scene, but a pivotal moment - a chance to expand his horizons and add new dimensions to his game.

"As soon as Lyon came in, there was nothing else on my mind," says Morton, who moved to France after helping England Under-21s win the Euros. "It's a massive club and the support here is incredible. It was always going to be a big challenge moving away from home but that's what I wanted, and I felt ready. I wanted to show people I could be a leader and hopefully that's what I've done."

Morton arrived at Lyon at a time of significant uncertainty. France's dominant force in the 2000s, they had fallen on hard times and were even provisionally relegated last summer due to their financial situation, only to be reinstated on appeal.

Several senior players, including Alexandre Lacazette, Rayan Cherki and Georges Mikautadze, left as part of a major reset, with younger, more affordable replacements brought in.

Picked up for just 10m euros (£8.7m), Morton wasted little time making his mark. He helped Lyon to victory at Lens on the opening weekend and was named man of the match on his home debut against Metz.

Everything went perfectly that day - except for his half-time interview, which left French broadcasters perplexed. "They couldn't understand anything I said," recalls Wallasey-born Morton, who speaks with a strong Liverpool accent. "The translator just laughed. I'm not used to doing interviews at half-time when the adrenaline's flowing, so I spoke far too quickly."

It was a light-hearted reminder of the adjustments required off the pitch but Morton has adapted quickly where it matters most. Previously more of a box-to-box midfielder, he has been entrusted with the role of a number six by Fonseca, taking responsibility for organising Lyon's play from deep.

"The manager has given me the reins to play my football and I'm loving it," he says. "There's no better position than number six, getting on the ball constantly, finding passes between the lines and using my brain to dictate games. Paulo Fonseca's an incredible manager. He's helped me so much. I've discovered things I didn't even know I had as a footballer."

Morton's Champions League dreams

With Morton pulling the strings alongside midfield stalwart Corentin Tolisso, Lyon embarked on a 13-game winning streak between December and February, topping the Europa League standings and rising to third in Ligue 1 - quite the turnaround for a club on the brink just six months earlier.

Although the feelgood factor has faded a little after disappointing exits from the Europa League and Coupe de France, they remain fourth in Ligue 1 and firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification.

Returning to the Champions League - five years after featuring for Liverpool in victories over Porto and AC Milan - would represent another important step in Morton's journey.

"I've always aspired to play at the best level," he explains. "Having a taste of the Champions League at Liverpool is the best thing that's happened in my career. It's the top of the top. It would be amazing to do it again with Lyon. They've given me this opportunity so I'll give everything for the club and fight until the end."

In a different country, in a different role, Morton has found not just his place but a new level in his game.