Yan Dhanda is thinking big after helping Swansea City complete a perfect start to their Championship campaign.
The 19-year-old midfielder scored the winner with his first touch, four minutes after coming on at Sheffield United on Saturday.
Dhanda’s goal propelled Graham Potter’s side to a 2-1 victory in the new manager’s first competitive game in charge and made Dhanda keen to express the extent of his ambitions.
Having left Liverpool earlier this summer, Dhanda still wants to follow in the foorsteps of his former teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, who went to the World Cup with England.
“We’re quite close and I hope I can follow him, do what he’s doing,’” said Dhanda, who swept the ball home to crown the Swans’ comeback for a deserved victory at Bramall Lane.
“To play for England is my dream, to go to the World Cup, to play in the Champions League. I’m only young, but I want it all.”
Dhanda’s positive thinking had already proved beneficial by the time he listed his career targets. Before the season opener, he had visualised how it might finish.
“I was imagining it all day, coming on and scoring. When the chance came, it was like it had happened before – but it seems like a dream now.”
The Swans had fallen behind to George Baldock’s goal just past the hour mark but Oli McBurnie’s equaliser was deserved reward for a comeback given wings by the arrival of both Dhanda and the impressive Jefferson Montero.
“It’s a big season for us, so to get off to a winning start – particularly after going behind – is a major positive,” said Scottish international McBurnie.
“There have been a lot of players leaving the club and a few coming in. It’s been a big turnaround in players, but the manager and his staff have quickly built the team spirit that we have.
“You could see that in our performance. We didn’t get off to a good start, and even though we went behind we kept fighting – we didn’t let our heads drop.
“It was the first time we had played competitively as a team but we played some beautiful football and we had the confidence in each other to get three points.
“That’s a really positive thing for us as a squad. Scoring goals and winning games – there’s no feeling like it.
“To celebrate with the fans was unbelievable. I may have got a bit carried away with the celebration, but it meant so much to me.
“I was delighted for Yan too. He has done well in pre-season. The boys have been impressed with him while the manager realised what he could offer this team.
“And he made the perfect impact on his debut. Scoring the winner – you can’t ask for much more than that!”
Potter praised the “quality and character” shown by his players after seeing them come from behind.
“I thought he did really well. It was tough, but we limited them in the first half and in the second half we showed real quality and character.
“The goal knocked us and you’ve then got a choice whether you cave in or respond. You don’t know how it’s going to go, but they kept going and I’m very pleased with them.
“All the guys who came on made a real impact. Yan [Dhanda] can pop up and score a goal — he’s got that quality.
“Oli [McBurnie] worked really hard for the team and deserved his goal.
“I’m delighted, of course, with the result and very proud with a lot of aspects of the performance. Any win in football is hard and it’s nice when the supporters go home happy.”
When asked for an update on the future of Sam Clucas, who has been linked with a move, Potter said: “I’ve not heard anything.”
Potter is keen to make further signings, adding: “We need to improve the group and the team.”
