Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari believes his Inter Milan team-mate McDonald Mariga has a bright future ahead of him.
The attacker signed for the Italian giants in February this year, after he failed to obtain a work permit, which would have seen him join Manchester City.
A month later, the 22-year-old became the first Kenyan to play in the UEFA Champions League, when he entered the field as a late substitute against Chelsea.
Muntari told Football365.co.za: "He is just a delight to watch. I am sometimes marveled by his sharp instincts and ability to maneuver his way through defenders.
"He has such an incredible speed, pace and skill on the ball. If he continues to play the way he is currently doing for Milan then I can confidently say he is the next big thing to happen to the game."
The Ghanaian star is confident that Mariga, who is settling well in the country, will not fade into the background like most other promising African talents.
"I have been around for quite a time now and able to recognise a true potential when I see one. This is just not one of those usual quick flashes in a pan," Muntari added.
"Mariga is real and ready to take on the rest of the world. I don't foresee him fading away like other young talents in time past. In the next few years, he will blossom into the biggest football act out of Africa.
"He is pretty new in Italy but he doesn't look like someone who is not enjoying his stay. We've talked at great length and he tells me life is so far good. At the moment, he is trying to fit into a system very different from all others he has been used to in the past. He is a funny, interesting and easy-going chap."
Muntari revealed that the Kenyan has won the adoration of coach Jose Mourinho.
"He has the backing of the coach and this is good for him. When you move into an already established team like ours, there is very little you can do to impress but he has succeeded in winning the hearts of almost everybody including the 'Special One'.
"Mourinho considers him a key part of our team's future successes and I know he won't betray that trust reposed in him by almost everybody here at Milan."