After confirming the signing of Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson the club has kept at arm’s length reports that they are to add two Anfield prospects to their squad for next season.
It has been claimed by various sources that a £700,000 bid for Stephenson has already been accepted by the Reds, and by others that Blackburn Rovers are also vying for the 22-year-old’s signature, with a £1million price put on the deal.
Wanderers have not gone as far as to issue an outright denial, but last week, and with several key staff away on annual leave, the immediacy of any move was played down to The Bolton News.
Links with Morrison, which appeared at the weekend, have been similarly underplayed, although a clearer picture of recruitment is expected over the course of this week as those important figures return to post.
A meeting was held at the start of last week to establish a ‘long-list’ of targets, and with sporting director Fergal Harkin hoping to get as many as five new players in for the start of training next month, there is plenty of hard work ahead.
Morrison made his debut for Northern Ireland last week in a friendly against Guinea and could feature once again in Michael O’Neill’s squad against France tonight.
The youngster was on the fringes of Liverpool’s first team towards the back end of last season and was included as an unused substitute by Arne Slot on several occasions in the Premier League.
Operating primarily as a right winger but also able to play centrally, Morrison scored 15 times in 24 appearances for the Reds’ Under-21 team and his only two senior appearances to date were in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
Liverpool have indicated that Morrison will be sent out on loan next season and German club Schalke plus Championship rivals Wolves and Middlesbrough are among those who have already been credited with an interest.
Many see the 19-year-old as a possible replacement for Amario Cozier-Duberry, who was a massive success on loan with the Whites from Brighton in League One last season.
Brighton’s initial plan for Cozier-Duberry had been to loan him out in continental Europe next season, with clubs in Germany, France and Belgium steeping forward even before his involvement in the play-off final to make their pitch.
After securing promotion, Wanderers are understood to have made it known to Brighton that they would be open to bringing the winger back for a second season, if it suited all parties.
Cozier-Duberry was voted players’ player and young player of the year, voted into the League One Team of the Year and was recently shortlisted for the PFA’s League One player of the season.
Speaking to The Bolton News at the end of last season about his future, he said: “I have had conversations with Brighton and with Bolton, but we will just have to wait and see what the future holds, I’m not too sure yet. It’s still early days.”