Welbeck Tips Cleverley For Top

Manchester United youngster Tom Cleverley has the potential to develop into a world-class player, according to team-mate Danny Welbeck.

Midfielder Cleverley, who spent time on loan at Wigan last season, has made a big impact at Old Trafford this term despite some injury setbacks.

The 22-year-old's impressive displays for United have earned him call-ups to Fabio Capello's senior England squad, although he is yet to win a cap.

Cleverley is not involved with the national squad preparing for Saturday's friendly with Spain due to an ankle problem, but Welbeck is, having also broken through at that level in recent months.

The striker is another United player to have caught the eye following a loan spell elsewhere, notching five goals for the Red Devils this campaign after spending 2010-11 with Sunderland.

Given Welbeck and Cleverley both came through the youth ranks at Old Trafford over the last few years, the former is well aware of what the latter has to offer - and believes there is plenty more to come.

"I think he can become a world-class player," Welbeck, 20, told United Review.

"Football is such a simple game, it's how hard you make it for yourself. Tom keeps it so simple and it is hard to do that when you're in centre-midfield, but Tom does that.

"He gets the ball, passes it, moves into space and he's just always there as an extra option every time you've got the ball.

"He's really good to play with, I enjoy playing with him so much and he's got the awareness, the vision and the ability to pick out a pass and actually produce a final pass as well.

"He's just going to carry on improving. You can see that every single day in training. He's a really good player."

He added: "We are really good friends off the field and quite a few people come up to us and tell us that it shows on the field.

"We've been through the same training schedule growing up through the academy, the same coaches who have taught us the same things, so we're on the same wavelength and we know each other's games inside out, more or less."