Liam Morrison

Liam Morrison
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-04-07) 7 April 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Saltcoats, Scotland[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Queens Park Rangers
Number 16
Youth career
Rangers
Celtic
2019–2021 Bayern Munich
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 Bayern Munich II 24 (1)
2023–2024 → Wigan Athletic (loan) 30 (1)
2024– Queens Park Rangers 3 (0)
International career‡
2017–2018 Scotland U16 12 (0)
2018–2019 Scotland U17 9 (2)
2021– Scotland U19 2 (0)
2023– Scotland U21 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:33, 27 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:31, 21 November 2023 (UTC)

Liam Morrison (born 7 April 2003) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

Club career

Early career

Morrison was born in Saltcoats, Scotland, and played for Scottish clubs Rangers and Celtic as a youth player.[2] After some impressive performances with the latter, he was reportedly linked with a move to a number of English clubs, as well as German side TSG Hoffenheim.[3] He was promoted to the Celtic first team squad for pre-season friendlies in Austria and Switzerland in June 2019.[4]

Bayern Munich

Around this time, German champions Bayern Munich made a bid to sign Morrison before Celtic were able to tie him down to a professional contract.[5][6] Despite Celtic's efforts to persuade him to stay, Morrison joined Bayern in August 2019, and later revealed that his main reason for signing was the pathway to the German side's first team that was laid out to him.[4][7] He was also quoted as saying that he initially believed the Bavarian side's interest was "a joke".[8]

Morrison integrated well into Bayern Munich's youth teams, citing coaches Miroslav Klose and Martin Demichelis as great influences on improving his game.[9] In October 2020, he was named among the 60 best young talents in the world by English newspaper The Guardian.[2][10] After Barry Hepburn made the same move from Celtic to Bayern, Morrison was credited with helping his younger compatriot to integrate into the squad.[11]

Loan to Wigan Athletic

On 27 June 2023, he moved to England and joined EFL League One club Wigan Athletic on loan for the 2023–24 season.[12]

Queens Park Rangers

On 5 July 2024, Morrison joined EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers for an undisclosed fee.[13]

International career

Morrison has represented Scotland at under-16, under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels.[14][15][16][17][18][19] He scored twice for the Scotland under-17 team in a 2–1 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification victory over Iceland in 2019.[20]

Career statistics

As of match played 27 November 2024[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bayern Munich II 2021–22 Regionalliga Bayern 4 0 — — — 4 0
2022–23 Regionalliga Bayern 20 1 — — — 20 1
2023–24 Regionalliga Bayern 0 0 — — — 0 0
Club total 24 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 1
Wigan Athletic (loan) 2023–24[22] EFL League One 30 1 2 0 1 0 2[a] 1 35 2
Queens Park Rangers 2024–25 EFL Championship 3 0 0 0 2 0 — 5 0
Career Total 57 2 2 0 3 0 2 1 64 3
  1. ^ Appearances in the EFL Trophy.

References

  1. ^ a b Liam Morrison at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b Hendry, Mark (8 October 2020). "Ex-Celtic kid Liam Morrison named in prestigious top 60 best youngsters in world football". glasgowtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  3. ^ Owen, Danny (23 April 2019). "Celtic's Liam Morrison Could be Inspired by Former Rangers Defender David Bates if he Leaves". hitc.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Celtic: Teenager Liam Morrison joins German giants Bayern Munich". bbc.co.uk. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  5. ^ Smith, Charlie (20 June 2019). "Celtic Make Late Attempt to Stop Liam Morrison Joining Bayern Munich". readceltic.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  6. ^ "FC Bayern Favorit bei Verflichtung von Celtic-Talent Morrison" [FC Bayern favourites to sign Celtic talent Morrison]. tz.de (in German). 18 June 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. ^ McKay, Gabriel (29 June 2021). "Liam Morrison explains Celtic exit as youngster reveals the key Bayern Munich promise that prompted German switch". dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ Devlin, Kieran (24 August 2019). "'Bayern Munich were interested in me? I thought it was a joke'". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2021. (subscription required)
  9. ^ Walker, Mark (30 October 2019). "Former Celtic kid Liam Morrison loving life under Miroslav Klose at Bayern Munich". heraldscotland.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Next Generation 2020: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. ^ Meet the Scottish teenagers trying to break through at Bayern Munich, Nick McPheat, BBC Sport, 17 November 2021
  12. ^ "Wigan sign Bayern Munich's Morrison on loan". BBC Sport. 27 June 2023.
  13. ^ "QPR sign Liam Morrison from Bayern Munich and right-back Hevertton Santos". BBC Sport. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Under-16 Statistics". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Under-17 Statistics". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Under-19 Statistics". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Under-21 Statistics". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Liam Morrison: Who is the Scotland U17 starlet swapping Celtic for Bayern Munich?". bundesliga.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Under-21 edged out in Fir Park friendly". scottishfa.co.uk. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Scotland 2–1 Iceland". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  21. ^ Liam Morrison at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Games played by Liam Morrison in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2023.