Few would try to deny that Liverpool had a quiet transfer window. In fact, the Reds are now locked in as the lowest spenders in the entire Premier League this season — but the net spend could have been even lower if a deadline day departure had come to fruition.

Considering it was such a pedestrian January, it might be a surprise to learn that eight players departed Anfield, either on loan or in permanent transfer deals. Jayden Danns became the last to leave after a temporary move to Sunderland was finalized.

And that number could well have been nine, after a significant deadline day bid. But in a move which perhaps sheds some insight into the way he operates, Richard Hughes knocked it back.

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As in the case of Danns, interest came from the Championship. The suitor was Middlesbrough, which is competing with its North-East rival (among others) for promotion to the Premier League.

Ben Doak is already thriving on Teesside on loan, and Boro was left relieved when Liverpool opted not to exercise its recall power in January. The Reds reportedly rejected overtures from Ipswich and Crystal Palace, who were exploring a permanent transfer.

And having kept hold of Doak, Middlesbrough made a late move to reunite him with another top Liverpool talent. It made an approach for Tyler Morton, offering a permanent package that could have risen "significantly above" $12.4m (£10m/€12m), per Paul Joyce.

Morton was hugely impressive for Hull City in the Championship last season. Fabio Carvalho, who played alongside him there for six months, joined Brentford from Liverpool for as much as $34.2m (£27.5m/€33m) last summer.

Perhaps with this figure in mind, Hughes and Liverpool rejected Middlesbrough's approach. Per Nizaar Kinsella, it ultimately came down to price, with the second-tier outfit unwilling to meet the Reds' asking price.

That will have come as a disappointment to Morton, who admitted earlier in January that he may need to be "selfish" for the good of his career. But he has learned that Liverpool only ever sells on its own terms.

And Hughes looks set to rekindle a trait for which Michael Edwards was well known. While we are yet to see him really flex his talents as a buyer in the transfer market, the former Bournemouth man has already established himself as a formiddable seller.

The Carvalho deal stands out as the pick of the bunch so far. But Hughes also extracted maximum value from Sepp van den Berg — again to Brentford, incidentally — in a deal worth up to $31m (£25m/€30m).

Morton is valued highly as well, having proved himself comprehensively at Championship level, and in flashes for Liverpool. After standing firm in January, the Reds can reassess in the summer —and in the meantime, the midfielder may yet get some more chances as Arne Slot pursues glory on four fronts.