Carabao Cup: Graham Potter makes bold Haydon Roberts prediction ahead of Swansea test

Haydon Roberts made his first team debut in the Carabao Cup in 2019

Graham Potter insists Haydon Roberts has all the tools to be a Premier League defender.

Roberts, 19, impressed while on loan at Rochdale last season and the England youth international was a key player in the Carabao Cup win at Cardiff last month.

Roberts was expected to go out on loan once again this season but stayed and the Brighton born youngster featured in Potter’s Premier League matchday squad at Brentford.

He is also likely to play a key role in the defence tonight as Albion look to advance further in the Carabao against Potter's former club Swansea.

“He’s a really exciting player,” said Potter. “He is young and he has got a lot to learn but he has got some really interesting attributes. Very strong, very quick, very mobile.

Powerful. Good with the ball, brings it out well. He’s got good courage so he’s got a lot of things that are really exciting. He has got attributes that can play in the Premier League.

"We need to help him get better. Help him understand a bit more about what we are trying to do.”

On the reasons why Roberts didn't go out on loan once again this season, Potter added:

"When we are talking about final decisions, if there’s a loan opportunity what does it look like? Sometimes players are desperate to play so you’ve got to weigh it up.

"But if there isn’t one or you think he can really help us and there’s a possibility he can be in our squad and on our pitch, then we need to keep him.

That was the decision really for Haydon. He has got attributes that can play in the Premier League.

He has got some qualities. He’s a young guy and he wants to learn so we are really pleased with him."