Defoe: Had a great game against the Mexicans (PeterNorton/Allsport)

So it is a mark of his confidence in Jermaine Pennant that he last night declared the 18-year-old winger ready for the Highbury first team.

Pennant has enjoyed a hectic week as the call to play against Barcelona in David Seaman's testimonial on Tuesday was followed by late selection for the England Under 21 side which beat Mexico 3- 0 in Leicester two days later.

A second-half substitute appearance was enough for Pennant to win the man of the match award and left coach Howard Wilkinson in effusive mood, suggesting he had never seen a better debut at any level.

Brady believes it is time for the young winger to take the next step forward and play regular first-team football. The former Republic of Ireland midfielder said: 'He has done two years at the club and he's ready to push on.

'That could be either on loan somewhere or in the Arsenal first team. It is not my place to tell Arsene Wenger which option to take. He is the first team manager.

'But I have told Arsene that I believe Jermaine is ready for regular first-team football. At this stage of his development, that is what he needs.' The Arsenal team which clinched the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday boasted eight British players but, in Brady's view, none is better than Pennant.

FA technical director Wilkinson would certainly concur with that view after watching Pennant illuminate Filbert Street with his uninhibited running from wide on the right.

Pennant was a shining light on an evening when the future looked bright for England, with West Ham striker Jermain Defoe showing his promise and Coventry forward Jay Bothroyd producing an overhead goal of flair and audacity.

Brady is not sure yet whether the latest young player to gambol from his stable at Arsenal's London Colney training centre, near St Albans, will become a winger in the traditional sense, or a striker.

He is just glad that Pennant is making progress after enduring difficult times in the wake of what is regularly reported as a £2million transfer from Notts County two years ago.

Pennant's transfer is notable not only for the size of the fee but also because agent Mark Curtis was subsequently fined £7,500 by the Premier League after allegedly making payments to the player and father Gary as part of the deal.

Brady said: 'Jermaine had a difficult time early on with us and the transfer tag did not help him at all. I am sick of reading about a £2m fee. It's nonsense and I would like to nail it. We have paid £350,000 for him and if he ever goes on to play for England then we will pay a total of £1m. That's it. No more.

'Like any young man, that was hard for him. He was only 16 when he came to us. He has slowly had to learn what it means to be a professional. I never doubted that he would come through it all and he has. He's flourishing. There is more to come from him but he is getting physically and psychologically stronger all the time.

'He can play wide but he can play off the front as well. The key is to get him the ball. Then he comes alive. He will go past people for fun and he's a good crosser of the ball.

'I didn't see the game against Mexico but I have had a few people phone me to tell me all about it. I was chuffed to bits about it. It will give him a great boost.' Wilkinson was given the honour of handing Pennant his man of the match champagne before the Nottingham-born teenager was put through the rigours of a live interview for Sky TV.

Brady said: 'He will have handled that well as he is reasonably confident of himself and he has been through our classes in media work. It's all part of the growingup process. There is more to being a footballer these days than just putting your boots on and going out to play. Jermaine is aware of this now.'

The progress made over the last 12 months by Ashley Cole has served as an example to all the young players at Highbury, although Pennant is likely to go on loan next season.

Wilkinson is convinced Thursday's experience will have been a good one for him, saying: 'One of my major concerns about this particular group is that there is no-one experienced at playing wide in the squad.