Luton deal collapses but Morris admits: finally my Portsmouth wait is over

The 22-year-old this afternoon sealed an anticipated move from Shrewsbury.

Pompey paid a nominal fee for the midfielder, whose contract was scheduled to expire at the season's end.

For Kenny Jackett, it concludes a pursuit which initially began in January 2018, when the Blues ran out of time to secure a deadline-day loan arrangement.

Now Morris has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, the newcomer earmarked to fill the holding-midfield role vacated by Ben Thompson's Millwall recall.

Pompey acted swiftly to capitalise after an agreed Luton switch fell down following Nathan Jones last week quitting to become Stoke boss.

At last the Middlesbrough Academy graduate has arrived on the south coast.

Morris said: '˜Basically it was done for me to go to Luton and then obviously Nathan Jones left.

'˜On that day I was ready to sign and then communication with my agent said permission had been given for him (Jones) to talk to Stoke. Next day it was confirmed.

'˜I had already met up with him, the negotiations had been confirmed from the chief executive's side and I was ready to sign '“ then he left. Everything had been agreed.

'˜Portsmouth's interest kind of came about around that time and it moved really quickly.

'˜I came down to the training ground on Thursday, spoke with the manager, and have now signed. I'm glad it's all sorted.

'˜Lincoln and Bury also put something on the table, but obviously that was a no-brainer.

'˜Everybody wants to play as high as they can, don't they. For me that was Portsmouth.'

The former England under-20 international had spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Wycombe.

The spell consisted of 21 games '“ now he's a Blues player.

Morris added: '˜I was going to sign here last January on loan, but the manager (Paul Hurst) didn't let it go through, he wanted to keep me.

'˜It was literally on deadline day, I was waiting until the last minute.

'˜I had my bags packed ready to go and it was disappointing it didn't come off.

'˜Shrewsbury were saying no at first, then at the very end said I could go, but didn't give me time. He (Hurst) knew it wasn't going to go through!

'˜I'm just glad it's done now, I just want to crack on.'