Perhaps the greatest testament to Jack Wilshere's ability is that some of the world's shrewdest judges of young talent cannot agree on precisely what type of player he will become. Other than a great one, that is.

Arsenal's youth-team coaches have privately likened the 16-year-old from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, to Lionel Messi, the Barcelona forward. Those who have watched Wilshere for the Arsenal under-18s say he is similar to Alexander Hleb with more of an eye for goal, while, after he marked his full debut by scoring from 20 yards against Sheffield United on Tuesday night, Arsène Wenger compared his latest prodigy to one of the club's greatest players, Liam Brady. If Wilshere develops into a combination of all three, he will be a frightening prospect.

Such versatility can be a curse for senior players unable to nail down a specific spot in the team, but for someone as young as Wilshere it confirms that the possibilities are endless. Predominantly left-footed, he is equally comfortable starting from either flank. He wreaked havoc for Arsenal's under-18s last season playing behind the strikers, but may ultimately be used in central midfield, possibly alongside the only man to have scored a senior goal for Arsenal at a younger age, Cesc Fàbregas.

“He can play anywhere,” Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said. “People tell me he's a bit like Liam Brady because he has good balance and a change of direction. I believe later in his career he will be a central midfielder or play behind the strikers.”

Wenger was not surprised by Wilshere's impact against United because, unlike the majority of the 57,000 crowd, he has seen it before. The Frenchman became aware of a boy who joined the club's Hale End Academy at the age of 9 when he was promoted into Steve Bould's under-18 squad as a 15-year-old last season. But it was his performances for Neil Banfield's reserve team towards the end of the campaign that caught his eye.

Wenger missed the teenager's reserve-team debut against Reading in February, in which he gave Liam Rosenior, an experienced Premier League defender, a torrid time at right back and scored the only goal of the game, but the manager was at Barnet's Underhill Stadium for a match against West Ham United two months later, which is attracting heavy traffic on YouTube as the Jack Wilshere Show.

Of most satisfaction to Wenger was the vision that Wilshere showed in cutting in from the right to create the opening goal for Rui Fonte, before he curled the ball into the top right-hand corner from a similar position to score.

“I integrated him in our first-team training sessions last year and he didn't look at all out of place,” Wenger said. “It is all in there and I have the responsibility to nurture him and to get his development right in the next two or three years.

“He's a quiet boy, very determined, very focused. It's always difficult when you're the manager of a boy with talent like that, you're always a bit cautious to put too much pressure on him and too high a level of expectation.”

Managing expectations will be easier said than done, because, by his standards, Wenger has shown signs of getting carried away, bringing Wilshere into the first-team squad and making him the youngest league debutant in Arsenal's history away to Blackburn Rovers a fortnight ago.

Wilshere's nationality and starting point as a wide player will lead to parallels with Theo Walcott, but in his physical and mental maturity he appears closer to Fàbregas, the only other player Wenger has deemed ready for first-team action at such a young age. Wilshere's head may be spinning with the flattering comparisons, but he would do well simply to follow the Spaniard's example.