Sunderland boss David Moyes believes that Duncan Watmore has what it takes to make it at the highest level of English football, but to progress further in his career he needs to "learn when to slow down".
Winger still has room for improvement
Watmore has been a regular starter under Moyes this season, and is one of the few players in the Sunderland squad that drives directly at his man whilst he has the ball at his feet.
His lack of goals has brought him into some fans' firing lines in recent weeks, but his manager firmly believes that "he's got something" that not every player necessarily has.
Moyes said that Watmore "needs to learn when to slow down and when to speed up a bit more", adding that he hopes the 22-year-old's "development will improve" in the future if he heeds the advice of his manager and coaching staff out on the training pitches at the Academy of Light.
Watmore will be on international duty this week
Speaking after the 2-1 win against Bournemouth last weekend, the Black Cats boss said that "Duncan [Watmore], at times, was really positive" and even went on to add that Watmore himself was "disappointed in the first half that he did not take on people more often".
Watmore will join up with the England U21 squad during the international break this week, who will be without his Sunderland team-mate Jordan Pickford after he was called up to the senior squad following the withdrawal of Fraser Forster due to injury.
Sunderland's next match is certainly a crucial one, as they face fellow strugglers Hull City at the Stadium of Light on November 19. With both sides in precarious positions towards the wrong end of the Premier League table, a win for either side would make their lives a whole lot easier for the forthcoming weeks.