MK Dons boss Russell Martin is bracing himself for Championship interest in Norwich City loan export Carlton Morris in the upcoming January transfer window.
Barnsley have been linked with a permanent deal for the 25-year-old, with City potentially looking to cash in as he enters the final six months of his contract at Carrow Road.
The FA Youth Cup winner has spent the first half of the season on loan at Stadium MK, scoring three goals in 17 games in League One. His recent form has earned him rave reviews from Martin and seems to have put him on the radar of Championship clubs.
"When a player isn't ours, it's difficult," the former City defender told the MK Citizen. "Norwich have been open and honest about interest in Carlton so we'll have to wait and see.
"People are interested in him because he's a very good performer at this level and can definitely play higher. For the last few weeks in particular, he has been outstanding, a really top performer.
"Whilst we hope to hold on to him for the whole season, I can't guarantee we will. The best plan for everyone would be to get him through to the end of the season and then keep him an MK Dons player, but that will be defined and decided by Norwich because he is there player. We'll have to wait and see.
"While he's here, he will give us everything he's got and if he keeps producing the levels of performance he has done in recent weeks, we'll be more than happy but it's a bridge we'll have to cross in January.
"Fingers crossed we can keep him, but we have to be realistic and ready that we might not be able to."
Martin has been full of praise for Morris since he re-joined in the summer and hopes his club can strike a deal to keep the striker at the club on a full-time basis.
"It would be something we're interested in but we'd have to see how far it goes and what level financially it goes to," Martin admitted.
"He loved his time here last season, he's a big part of things here. The relationship I have with him also comes into the equation but ultimately he just really enjoys playing for this football club.
"We fought off a lot of interest for him in the summer and he chose to come back here. I'm sure if there was a possibility and it was feasible for us financially then it would be an option, but we will have to wait and see what happens."
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