England manager Steve McClaren believes Newcastle defender Steven Taylor will soon "be knocking on the door" for a senior call-up.
McClaren was highly impressed with centre-back Taylor's displays in the recent European Under-21 Championship finals that ended in an agonising 13-12 penalty shoot-out semi-final defeat to Holland.
The 21-year-old, who is currently recovering from an ankle injury sustained in that game with the Dutch, is now firmly in McClaren's thoughts ahead of the impending new season.
"Steven Taylor is a player I have been watching for some time now, and I will be watching again to see how he progresses next season," McClaren told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.
"He has been an important member of the England Under-21 set up for some time now, and he was an outstanding captain when Nigel Reo-Coker went off.
"Steven Taylor displays the sort of spirit I want from all the England sides - from the Under-15s right through to the senior squad.
"And if he maintains the sort of form he has shown lately then he should be knocking on the door of the full England team."