Richard Hughes may have just made one of the biggest transfer blunders in Liverpool's modern history, and it's a mistake that's coming back to haunt them in the worst possible way.

This season, Arne Slot has found himself scrambling for midfield solutions. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, both instrumental in Liverpool's 2024/25 Premier League title triumph, have struggled to recapture that championship-winning form. Injuries have plagued the first-choice quartet, while Wataru Endo has been a long-term absentee. Even Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai have been deployed at right-back out of necessity. It's a midfield crisis that screams for reinforcements.

But here's the kicker: Liverpool may have already had the perfect answer—and they let him walk away for a bargain price last summer.

Enter Tyler Morton, a 23-year-old homegrown No. 6 who honed his craft during impressive Championship loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and Hull City. When he returned to Anfield under Slot in the summer of 2024, it seemed like his moment had finally arrived. Instead, the Dutch manager froze him out, and by last summer, the decision was made to sell him to Lyon for a paltry £9 million.

Since then, the Wallasey-born midfielder has blossomed into one of Ligue 1's standout performers, attracting interest from heavyweights like Chelsea and Juventus. If Liverpool's decision-makers weren't already feeling a pang of regret, they certainly are now.

Adding salt to the wound, Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott—a close friend and England U21 teammate of Morton's—has publicly declared that Morton has the quality to play for one of the best clubs in the world. "I think it was a great decision for him (to move)—he is smashing it at the minute," Scott told The Athletic. "He's an unbelievable player. I think Liverpool fans saw that years ago when he was bossing it at the San Siro. He didn't really get his opportunity last year. In his head, I think it was time to move on and play first-team football."

For Liverpool fans, this is a painful reminder that sometimes, the best deals are the ones you don't make. As Morton continues to shine in France, the question lingers: could he have been the midfield anchor Slot so desperately needs right now?