Newcastle can inflict double Liverpool sucker punch in Tonali replacement hunt as remorseful Reds left powerless

Not only are Newcastle interested in a Liverpool midfielder as a contingency plan if Sandro Tonali leaves in the summer, but they have also shortlisted a second option that the Reds might be kicking themselves about.

Tonali’s future is in doubt ahead of the summer transfer window after the idea of him leaving for Arsenal burst onto the agenda on deadline day earlier this week. Nothing materialised before the January transfer window shut, but the Italian midfielder is already looking like a big talking point in view of the summer transfer window.

Newcastle naturally want to keep their best players after the agonising saga that saw Alexander Isak down tools and eventually secure a British-record move to Liverpool last summer, but now face the prospect of having to fight to keep Tonali.

And after the outcome of last summer’s transfer battle, Newcastle are wisely starting to consider some potential successors to Tonali in the event of him leaving – with Arsenal far from his only option.

Yesterday, TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher named Newcastle as one of the clubs in the mix for Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, along with the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

And now, further confirmations have arrived of another potential target on Newcastle’s list: Tyler Morton.

Like Jones, Morton is a product of the Liverpool academy, but unlike his fellow midfielder, he was unable to make a genuine breakthrough into the first team and was sold to Lyon in the summer.

Morton has excelled in France, leading to talk of a Premier League return. TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey revealed in December that Newcastle were one of the clubs keeping track of the 23-year-old.

Now, CaughtOffside are also reporting that Newcastle are admirers of Morton, adding that they are ‘leading the race for his signature’ ahead of the likes of Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.

Lyon would consider offers for Morton, who is unlikely to agitate for a move but could give them a chance to turn a quick profit.

Liverpool will taste some of that money for themselves thanks to a 20% sell-on clause, but one clause they overlooked was a buyback option.

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Should Liverpool regret lack of Morton buyback clause?

That could be a source of regret for the Reds, who are arguably missing a holding midfielder with Morton’s qualities, even if Arne Slot didn’t give him much of a look-in last season.

The fact he could end up at Newcastle, a club Liverpool thought they had the last laugh over with the Isak case, could add insult to injury if the Magpies move for Jones as well.

After the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold for Real Madrid and Morton’s sale to Lyon, Jones is the only Scouser remaining in the Liverpool first-team squad, but his future is also in doubt ahead of the summer.

Inter Milan took a look at him in the January transfer window and Jones will now be assessing all his options as he approaches the final year of his contract.

While Jones isn’t necessarily a regular starter for Liverpool, he is a useful squad member and his homegrown status isn’t something to overlook, so it would be hurtful for Liverpool to lose him.

The prospect of Newcastle benefitting from Morton’s development as well would be another blow to Liverpool; even if there haven’t been many indications of them wanting him back at Anfield, they must be wondering if they should have maintained more control over his future as the calibre of interested party increases.

Liverpool put buyback clauses in the paperwork for Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen and Ben Gannon-Doak’s move to Bournemouth in the summer, but only went with the sell-on clause for Morton, who could feasibly come back to haunt them.

Latest Liverpool transfer news: One return snubbed; second Newcastle raid eyed

Meanwhile, one player who definitely won’t be coming back to Liverpool is Alexander-Arnold.

TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey has been informed that Liverpool view their long-term planning at right-back as complete and would therefore not consider a return for their former no.66.

In other news, Liverpool are ready to meet the salary demands of one of their most important players.

And there is talk of another Liverpool raid on Newcastle, this time for a defender.