Dale Taylor has been tipped for a quick promotion to Nottingham Forest's first-team next season.
The Northern Ireland Under 21 international impressed in the recent FA Youth Cup final defeat to Manchester United.
Forest may have lost the showpiece 3-1, but the performance of Taylor caught the eye of many fans looking to get a glimpse of the future.
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Taylor, 18, has already appeared on senior manager Steve Cooper's bench this season, but has mainly campaigned for the club's Under 18 team since moving from Linfield last summer.
After his display in the FA Youth Cup final - which was played in front of over 70,000 fans at Old Trafford - the Nottingham Forest News website said: "Taylor couldn’t etch his name into Forest folklore but he showcased exactly why he won’t be playing under-18 football during the 2022/23 campaign.
"The 18-year-old is already built like a man and as a result, it’s no surprise to see him earn recognition from Steve Cooper recently.
"He was named on the bench as Forest beat Swansea 5-1 in the Championship and it was perhaps a surprise he didn’t get on the pitch.
"Forest added Taylor to their ranks from Linfield. The teenager had caught the eye by scoring a first-team goal at the age of 15; prompting David Healy to call him exceptional.
"This season has seen Taylor battle back from injury. He has produced the good when called upon and recently scored an unbelievable goal against Leeds.
"The future looks seriously bright for Taylor. He looks like a big part of Forest’s future and last night he simply oozed class at Old Trafford."
The website added: " Cooper watched on as Taylor showed a maturity to his game that earned him a spot in one of his squads recently. The head coach must, therefore, be seriously considering utilising him during the club’s pre-season campaign – and why not.
"Forest have a rich history when it comes to producing young players and Taylor looks like the closest to breaking into the team right now.
"With Lewis Grabban likely to leave in the summer and Keinan Davis’ future uncertain, Forest could definitely have a spot opening up for a striker.
"Taylor already looks like a player capable of mixing it with men. With that in mind, Cooper has to seriously consider a place in his squad for the 18-year-old next season."
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