YORK City beat off interest from other teams to secure the loan services of Norwich’s England under-19 striker Carlton Morris.

The teenage Canary, who was also farmed out to City’s Sky Bet League Two rivals Oxford earlier this season, has agreed to join the Minstermen until January 4.

Morris completed his move half-an-hour before today’s 2014 deadline for loan signings and will go straight into the squad for Saturday’s away game at Plymouth.

On the battle for his signature, City boss Russ Wilcox said: “There was competition from other clubs so I am delighted that he chose to come to us. He’s 6ft 2in and will bring pace and power.

“He turns 19 next month and has League Two experience. He has also scored goals for England under-19s so, hopefully, he will add a bit more quality to the group.”

Morris made seven starts in ten outings for Oxford during the first two months of the campaign and got on the scoresheet in a 2-1 triumph over Carling Cup hosts Bristol City.

Bootham Crescent boss Wilcox added that Morris was highly rated by the U’s but, as a young player, fell victim to circumstance when the side were struggling for results.

“He went straight into the team at Oxford and had lots of starts,” Wilcox pointed out. “They gave him the number nine shirt, which shows what they thought of him, but when you’re not winning games, as they weren’t, that puts pressure on people and often leads to changes.

“I have seen him myself and contacted people who know him and, having done a lot of homework, everybody has spoken highly of him as a player and a person.

“We will pick him up on the M5 near Worcester tomorrow and that will give him the chance to spend a couple of hours with us tomorrow night. He will then go straight into the 18-man squad because he will give us another game changer on the bench.”

Wilcox went on to declare his satisfaction at the mixture of strikers at his disposal now, with Morris joining Jake Hyde, Wes Fletcher and fellow loanee Diego De Girolamo as the City manager’s first-choice quartet.

“It’s important to go into the Christmas period with as many offensive players as you can to give you more options, competition and cover and I’m really pleased with the four we can choose from,” Wilcox admitted. “I wanted a big one, who is mobile as well.

“We also know that Diego brings that ability to play in little pockets of space, while Jake can do a bit of everything, as Wes can, along with those runs he makes behind defences.”