Former Norwich City striker Grant Holt has suggested that in-demand defender Max Aarons can go on to play for a Premier League top-six club and for England, speaking in an exclusive interview with Football League World.
Despite interest from other clubs, the Canaries held onto Aarons last season and he's proven a key man as they've moved to within one game of the Championship title.
The 21-year-old has missed just one game all season, helping Norwich to concede the second-fewest goals in the division while adding two goals and four assists.
Aarons' exploits have not gone unnoticed and ahead of the summer window, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham, and West Ham United are among the clubs to be linked.
Having hung up his boots in 2018, Holt is now a Norwich ambassador and part of the club's recruitment department.
The former Canaries striker believes that along with the likes of Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell, Aarons could have joined a Premier League club last season and has a big future ahead of him.
"I think all of them could’ve gone last year when we left the Premier League because of how well they’d done," explained Holt.
He continued: “I think it was a conversation between Stuart and Max, and his representatives to say, look give us one more year, get us up to the Premier League and we’ll see if the bids come in.
“But if the bids don’t come in, he won’t move. If it’s not right for the football club he won’t move.
“Can Max Aarons go and play in the top six? Absolutely. Can Max Aarons go and be an England international in the next three years? Absolutely.
“He’s got every attribute as a person to go on and achieve stuff. He learns quickly, his ability and willingness to work. How that kid has worked so hard over the last five or six years.
“Look when you’re small and you’re not as big as other people in that environment you have got to be better. He uses that as his strength – he’s quick, he’s nimble, he gets around the pitch. His ability to get tight is phenomenal.
“He has got everything he needs to be a top player and I think he’ll go on to achieve it.”
Whatever Watford's result on Saturday, Norwich will win the Championship title with a victory against Reading at Carrow Road.
That will mean Aarons will return to the Premier League with another second-tier title winners medal – though it remains to be seen whether he'll be around to try to keep the Canaries up next term.
Grant Holt is supporting the nationwide “Your Club Your Kit” competition on behalf of Your Move, Official Communities Supporter of the EFL. To help your local grassroots team and enter the kit competition visit: www.your-move.co.uk/kit