Roberto Martinez believes that defender Ashley Williams could go to the very top

The former Stockport County defender has made a more than satisfactory step up to both Championship and international level in the last twelve months and this week was unlucky not to be a part in a clean sheet against Germany on Wednesday night.

Back in action yesterday at Portman Road, Williams has been one of the star performers of the Swans side this season and is slowly building a very strong reputation on the back of those performances.

Speaking to the Western Mail, Roberto said “Without a doubt he would be able to handle himself in the Premiership

“I saw him against both Russia and Germany and he already looks very confident, even at that level.

“Watching him playing against Germany, with the stature of players they have, the performance he put in is something to be proud of.

“You don’t get many better strikers in the world than the ones he has played against in recent months. And, when you see him performing so well against world-class opposition, it shows you what he is capable of.

“The next challenge is to carry on progressing and to see how high he can go.

“But, at the moment, his performances for Wales are showing he can play at as high a level as he wants really.”

He continued: “He has been working really hard and there hasn’t been one day that you haven’t seen an improvement in Ashley’s game. That is always a great thing.

“We just need to make sure we benefit from that experience at Swansea. Obviously the immediate priority is for Ashley to establish himself in the Championship.

“The key factor is the sort of character he is

“Ashley is always willing to learn from mistakes and always wants to play better than his last game.

“He is a quick learner and he can control the situation in every game. He will react well to any challenge you give him and that is a great strength.

“He is the perfect example of what is going on at this club. We are a young club, always looking to develop and striving for the best.”

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