Sir Alex Ferguson has told England boss Fabio Capello to reserve a seat on the plane to the World Cup in South Africa for youngster Danny Welbeck.
The 18-year-old has made only 12 appearances for Manchester United, but Ferguson is convinced the striker is destined for greatness.
The Manchester-born forward can play across the front line and his manager says he has all the attributes a top-class player needs.
“Danny’s a certainty to make it at the highest level. I’ve told Fabio Capello the boy will be in his World Cup squad next year," Ferguson told the Sunday Times.
“Wide left or right or through the middle, he has the athleticism, guts, intelligence and talent to do the job.”
Welbeck is already over six feet tall but his manager says he has plenty more growing to do as he looks to fill out and refine his slightly awkward gait.
“He is going to be a big lad,” Ferguson added. “His height is about 6ft 1in now but the prediction is he’ll be 6ft 3in. He is yet to get the conformation in his thighs, so he is still gangly, but he is brave enough to carry that.
“When he completes his growing, he’ll really be something. Danny’s a terrific, down-to-earth boy and I’d like to have given him more chances by now, but at this stage of the season all our results are vital.”