Ipswich unga anfallare Connor Wickham blev nyligen den stora hjälten när England vann U17-EM för första gången någonsin.

Innan U17-EM bjöd Tottenham £5 miljoner för Wickham, men efter turneringen har hans marknadsvärde stigit ytterligare.

Nu hypas Wickham ytterligare hemma i England.

Den före detta landslagsmannen Russel Osman, som numera är expertkommentator på Eurosport, är fullständigt lyrisk över Wickhams kapacitet och menar att han rent av borde ha blivit uttagen till VM i Sydafrika.

”I wasn’t being flippant. It’s not bias, either, because I played for Ipswich,” sa Osman till The Daily Mail.

”Of course people will question why (Fabio) Capello would take Wickham to the World Cup but my reply would be, “Why not?” Sven Goran Eriksson picked Theo Walcott four years ago and he was 17 with even less experience than Wickham,” fortsatte Osman.

”If there’s one area of the England team where we are possibly a bit short it’s up front.

”We have a problem knowing who to play alongside Wayne Rooney and another when it comes to putting the ball in the net.

”Wickham could do it. He’s not a boy, he’s a 17-year-old man and with his ability allied to his physique I genuinely think he’s a one-off.

”He can do the lot. He hit two good left foot shots for his goals in the semi-final and an excellent right-foot drive in the final.”

Vidare menar Osman att Wickham är lika stark som Heskey – men en bättre målskytt.

”He’s just as strong as Heskey and has a better eye for goal. And here’s the frightening part — he’s still growing.

”At the moment he’s 6ft 3in tall and weighs 14 stone but from my own experience I reckon he will be 19 before he stops.”

Osman hävdar att Wickhams överlägsna fysiska styrka gjorde att hans motståndare fick många frisparkar med sig i U17-EM i Lichtenstein.

”There were times in Liechtenstein when referees thought he was bullying opponents and gave unfair decisions against him.

”He wasn’t actually doing anything wrong; it was just that kids his own age can’t cope with him.”

Enligt The Daily Mail värderar Ipswich den 17-åriga anfallaren till hela £10 miljoner + eventuella prestationsbaserade tillägg.