Bristol City starlet continues whirlwind week as new contract follows international recognition

Bristol City starlet Elijah Morrison has agreed a new three-year contract at Ashton Gate, just over 24 hours after earning his maiden call-up to the England Under-18 squad.

Morrison was a key part of the City U18 side that reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup semi-final and made his senior debut in the closing stages of the Robins’ 2-0 win over Rotherham in their final home game of 2023/24.

The Bedminster-raised winger joined City’s academy at U16 level having been signed via Bristol Inner City Academy, where he had been a teammate of fellow Young Robin Ephraim Yeboah. Morrison's previous deal was due to expire next summer but this new agreement keeps him under contract until 2027.

It continues an exciting week for the teenager given he was named in the England U18 squad on Monday for friendlies against Northern Ireland and Morocco and he could make his international debut at that level on Wednesday at St George’s Park.

“It's special because I'm born and bred in Bristol, not far from Ashton Gate,” Morrison said. “It feels amazing to know that I could stay here for another three years, at my boyhood club as well.”

Morrison forms a generation of academy players who the club believe can makes the breakthrough into the first-team similar to how Tommy Conway and Sam Bell have become regulars over the last two years, and Zak Vyner, Cam Pring and Max O’Leary before them, with Alex Scott, Antoine Semenyo, Lloyd Kelly, Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan also part of that lineage.

Earlier this month, City secured 10 of their FA Youth Cup squad, which also finished second in the Professional Development League (Group B), on professional deals and Morrison will be one of a number who will join the first-team squad over pre-season before head coach Liam Manning assesses what the next best course of action is.

The winger, who first appeared in a matchday squad under Nigel Pearson in November 2022 against Lincoln City in the League Cup, could be moved into the U21 set-up for regular minutes while being included on matchdays, similar to Jamie Knight-Lebel last season, or the Robins could explore a loan deal in the EFL or National League.

Speaking to Bristol Live about Morrison in December 2022, technical director Brian Tinnion said: "He’s a talented boy. We talk about mentality, he’s one of the most focused with one of the best attitudes I’ve ever seen in a young player, if I’m honest. He’s thriving with the opportunities he’s getting.

"He plays with such an intensity and drive, so he can play as a 10 or an attacking 8 but he’ll probably end up as a left wing-back or left winger because he’s aggressive, he’s quick, he can go past people, he can deliver, he can score goals.”

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