Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes Dele Alli has the right qualities to be a future Spurs captain.
Despite his tender age of just 20, Alli has become one of Tottenham's most important players and has impressed this season, scoring 11 goals and adding two assists in 23 Premier League appearances.
Spurs travel to Liverpool on Saturday, a team Alli supported as a child and could have joined in 2015 before making the switch to White Hart Lane from MK Dons.
Should they beat the Reds on Saturday, Spurs will go seven points clear of their Anfield rivals, and Pochettino has called upon all his players to demonstrate their leadership qualities - highlighting Alli as a potential skipper in future years.
"Of course it is important we have Hugo Lloris, the captain of France, he is an experienced player and can maybe give better advice than younger players," Pochettino said, as quoted bySky Sports.
"But then we have Dele Alli, with his personality and character, maybe he can become a leader in a few years. Every player in the squad has leadership qualities, they just need time to develop the qualities.
"It's important to have good character and always work to win, not just to say 'I want to win' - it is to show you want it with your behaviour, attitude, enthusiasm, your own motivation."
Tottenham take on a Liverpool team who are yet to to win a Premier League game in 2017, but Pochettino remains wary of the Merseyside club and backed manager Jurgen Klopp ahead of the tie.
"I cannot speak for another coach but all the managers, and Klopp with his experience, he is clever like other managers to provide good balance," Pochettino continued.
"If you win you are a genius, if you don't win you are criticised. You need to be natural, spontaneous and believe in the way you play, use your methods. It's an easy answer: only work in the way you believe you can achieve big things."