Bayern Munich star Javi Martinez has told ESPN FC that U.S. youngster Julian Green could be set for a breakout 2016-17 season with the Bundesliga giants.
Green is travelling with the Bayern squad this summer to America, where the reigning Bundesliga champions will continue their preparations for the start of the campaign in the International Champions Cup.
The 21-year-old became the youngest player from his country to score at a World Cup in 2014 against Belgium, but he found it tough to break into the first team at Bayern under previous coach Pep Guardiola, spending last season with the German club's reserve side.
However, the attacker scored the first goal of new coach Carlo Ancelotti's tenure in Bayern's 4-3 preseason friendly win over Lippstadt last week, and followed that with another start in the 1-0 victory over Guardiola's Manchester City on Wednesday night.
Martinez said that the Florida-born winger had lots of potential and was likely to get a regular chance to play for the first team under Ancelotti this season.
"[Green] is a young kid, with lots of potential, and for sure he will play well," Martinez told ESPN FC. "He is very fast, he battles hard, moves well and scores goals.
"A very dynamic player. I think that this year he will get many opportunities."
And Martinez said he was looking forward to the trip, while he is fully aware of growing interest in the game in the U.S.
"The truth is that soccer is becoming more and more important in the U.S. all the time," he added. "You could see that with the Copa America, which had big crowds through the whole tournament."
In the ICC, Bayern face AC Milan in Chicago on July 27 (ESPN2); Inter Milan in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 30 (ESPNEWS); and Real Madrid in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Aug. 3 (ESPN2).
Martinez said playing against such high-profile opponents will be useful preparation for Bayern's domestic season-opening German Super Cup against Dortmund on Aug. 14.
"These are opponents who you look forward to playing against, who you know are going to test you, and help you get ready," he said.
"We hope we can achieve that and that the tour will be useful for us for the season -- starting with the German Super Cup against Dortmund."