Leighton Baines has backed Ross Barkley to fulfil his potential under the expert guidance of Everton boss Roberto Martinez.
The England pair have been regulars for both club and country this season, enjoying a promising campaign in the Premier League and looking forward to this summer’s World Cup.
Left-back Baines has been impressed with the emergence of 20-year-old Barkley - but warns of expecting too much from the creative midfielder.
Barkley has been impressive for England and Everton this season
"He’s been excellent this season after stepping up the ladder and has burst through this year," said Baines, who has 22 caps for the Three Lions.
"He’s a top player and one of the top talents in the country.
"But we sometimes have a tendency to do that with young players.
"I think it’s important that we try and give him a little bit of time and leeway to develop."
Martinez has been careful in his use of Barkley this season, with the former England Under-21 player used both bursts from the bench and longer spells in the starting line-up.
Baines speaks to TheFA.com after helping England to the World Cup
And as a player who broke through into the Wigan Athletic first team as a teenager before his move to Goodison Park in 2007, 29-year-old Baines still remembers what it is like to be the young player in the team.
"You don’t have the consistency levels sometimes, when you’re in your late teens and early 20s,” he added.
"He’s [Barkley] still a really young player and it might take a bit of time for him to develop and I think that’s what the manager’s doing very well.
"He gets a run of games and then he comes out of the side sometimes and that’s not always because of his performance, but because it’s the right time for him and his development.”
Both Baines and Barkley will be hoping to be involved in England’s next game at Wembley when Peru are the opposition on Friday 30 May.
Tickets for that game are on sale now, by clicking here.
