Tim Howard has said that Ross Barkley can be a successful international player for England in the future.

The 20-year-old midfielder has made regular appearances for Everton's first team this season, leading to speculation that he could be included in Roy Hodgson's squad for this summer's World Cup in Brazil.

The club's goalkeeper told Sky Sports News: "I think the big if with a lot of players is you don't know how they are going to perform on the big stage and with Ross that is taken out of the equation because he doesn't worry about the big moments, in fact he enjoys it.

"I think it will be beneficial for him as he goes forward in his career. I think if Ross gets taken to the World Cup, he's not going to probably play a lot. He might play a little part, but he's got another two or three World Cups in him and that will help him down the road.

"People are talking about Steven Gerrard and they are trying to link him to Steven and to Wayne Rooney. What those guys do is perform that magic every week, it becomes second nature. He'll get there. We have high hopes for him."

Barkley already has three caps for his national side, making his debut during a World Cup qualifier last September.