Highly-rated youngster Drey Wright is hungry for more first-team action with Colchester United .

The pacy 18-year-old has featured heavily for the U’s so far in pre-season.

Wright - the son of former Ipswich Town and Southampton midfielder Jermaine Wright - penned his first professional contract earlier this summer.

And having impressed in their friendlies so far, the teenage attacker is eager to get more opportunities to shine.

Wright said: “I hope to stay in and around the first team picture.

“Both myself and Alex (Gilbey) have been pushed through quite a bit.

“But there doesn’t seem to be any pressure on us at all.

“The gaffer and Joe Dunne had helped us out a lot, along with the rest of the boys.

“The week we had in Holland got me comfortable around the first team squad and they’re a great bunch of people.

“You just feel comfortable in their company - whether it’s on the pitch or off it.

“There’s no pressure on us and we feel we can hopefully keep progressing through the stages of the team.

“I just want to keep it up and hopefully keep featuring.

“I want to be in the squads for all of the big games, playing in front of big crowds.

“We have home friendlies against Derby and Ipswich to come and I’d love to be involved in them.”

See Wednesday's Gazette for more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news.