JAMES Chester will begin a first season in the Premier League next month with no bounds to his potential, according to Hull City team-mate Liam Rosenior.
Two and a half years after leaving behind boyhood club Manchester United, Chester is in line for a long-awaited top-flight debut when the Tigers begin a new campaign at Chelsea on August 17.
A chance to test himself against English football's attacking elite is just reward for the 23-year-old after a near faultless spell in the Championship.
And Rosenior, who joined Chester in committing his future to the Tigers last week, believes City have a future star of the Premier League within their ranks.
"Tying Chezzy to a new three-year deal was massive news for the club," Rosenior told the Mail, who himself inked a two-year contract.
"I spoke with him on the day I found out he signed and I joked 'I see the club has got its priorities right, signing you up before me!'
"I don't want to put any undue pressure on him but I've played with a lot of top centre-halves and he's the best I've played with. I've told him that.
"Football is a game of opinions and that's mine, he can do whatever he wants in the game if he sticks at it.
"He's a brilliant talent and I'm delighted that he's here."
Coming from Rosenior, who has previously played in the Premier League with Fulham and Reading and international football with England under-21s, it is high praise heaped upon Chester.
The pair are among the longest serving players remaining at the KC Stadium and Rosenior has witnessed Chester's rapid progression at first hand since welcoming the defender to East Yorkshire in January 2011.
Playing in 109 of the 113 Championship games since arriving from Manchester United for just £300,000, Chester has been a constant figure in the Tigers' climb back to the Premier League.
A freshly-signed three-year deal guarantees his place in manager Steve Bruce's long-term plans and also fends off reported summer interest from Aston Villa.
Chester's biggest challenge yet lies in store when the Tigers bid to upset the relegation odds heavily stacked against them, but Rosenior has no doubts over his team-mate's suitability.
"He just needs to keep his feet on the ground and keep on improving," he added.
"He's a great age to do that and he's the type of character that won't get carried away.
"He doesn't just look after himself, he looks after all the other lads that hang around with him.
"It's the little things that might not get seen that show the type of lad he is.
"He's got his head screwed on that's for sure.
"The Premier League will suit his game too.
"He reads the game well and doesn't dive into challenges.
"It's less physical than the Championship and that will allow him to play his natural game."
