Morris backed to impress in Portsmouth spotlight after successful auditions

Now Joe Gallen is seeking for the midfielder to take centre stage at Fratton Park.

The 22-year-old was at last handed his Pompey bow in Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss at promotion rivals Luton.

Having previously been an unused substitute, it finally represented an opportunity to impress Blues followers.

Following a quiet opening 45 minutes in line with his struggling team-mates, Morris sprang into life during an impressive second-half showing.

For Gallen, the England youth skipper had been on Pompey’s radar since serving on the opposing side with Shrewsbury in December 2017 and then Wycombe in September.

And that insight initiated their desire to bring him to the south coast.

Pompey’s assistant manager said: ‘Bryn’s a very diligent, focused individual for a young player – some aren’t quite so focused and diligent as he seems to be.

‘He played very well against us in previous games for Wycombe and Shrewsbury, which brought him to our attention.

‘At Shrewsbury last season we lost 2-0, then there was the home game against Wycombe, when he scored a good goal.

‘We are always looking for players and always have a meeting on a Monday about the other team and who we’d take that would improve us. Bryn’s name came up quite a bit.

‘It was very good to get him over the line and signed.

‘He feels his best position is playing alongside someone of the Tom Naylor-type, so you can call it two number fours.

‘He can screen and has grown up playing for England in the younger age groups, although when he played against us for Wycombe it was a number eight role.

‘That didn't just tie him behind the ball, it allowed him to get free and get forward, as we saw, to the detriment of our defence.’

Morris completed the full 90 minutes in the Luton loss.

And Gallen believes the midfielder has benefited from being granted a settling-in period rather than thrown straight into the team.

He added: ‘We’ve been giving him a bit of time to settle in, it’s not quite easy when you just turn up and go straight in.

‘It’s just giving him the best opportunity to settle in, so when he plays he feels like he knows everybody's name, he understands what's required and probably will be better off for it.

‘Bryn has been very good in training, he’s a serious individual about his football and good on the ball, reasonably mobile and a good talker.'