'It was a freak one': Manchester United loanee and ex-Hull man on how Portsmouth pounced after 15-week lay-off scuppered Championship move

Yet his loss has proven to be Pompey’s gain as the fit-again Manchester United defender will instead feature in League One for the remainder of the campaign.

Following an eye-catching introduction to Championship football at Hull last term, the 22-year-old was pencilled in for a return to that level, with interested clubs circling.

That was until he sustained a hamstring injury in the first week of pre-season training, with the grade 3C tear sidelining him for almost the entire first half of the campaign.

Still, having made his competitive comeback in December, Bernard is now raring to pick up where he left off.

Except it’s League One and Fratton Park now offering the chance of first-team football to aid his ongoing development.

Bernard told The News: ‘I collected an injury in the first week of pre-season training with United. At first I wasn’t too sure, but scans showed I had pulled my hamstring.

‘It was a grade 3c, which is one of the bad ones, but luckily I didn't need surgery so got through it with rehab. Although I was out for 14-15 weeks.

‘Obviously with a hamstring problem you can't really force it, otherwise it happens again. It was a bit of a mental battle to get through it, but I’m back fit now.

‘At the time there were a few loan whispers of going back to the Championship, but I can't dwell on the past now,

‘It’s a weird one because I've not been injured too much or missed games, so it was a bit of a freak one, but injuries are part of football.

‘I had a friend with me who did his hamstring at the same time, we were travelling back together. Having done his hamstring a few more times than me, I was learning off him, such as when to not rush it or kick on a bit.

‘Eventually I came back to training in November. The physios can tell you one thing, but sometimes you have to listen to your body, you know when you’re rushing it a bit and need to slow down.

‘It has been a long, emotional journey, but now I’m raring to go.’

Having arrived on deadline day, Bernard goes straight into John Mousinho’s squad against Barnsley on Saturday.

Although his injury has restricted him to just three competitive appearances at all levels this season – one in the Papa John’s Trophy and two in the under-21s’ Premier League 2.

He added: ‘I went with the first-team to Spain and got my first 45 minutes playing the second half of a friendly with Cadiz.

‘There have also been few behind-closed-doors friendlies, plus 11-v-11 games in training. Not too many matches.

‘But my hamstring problem is behind me now and Pompey should be a good place to get those games back up.’