Alzate, who signed a new four-year deal with the Seagulls yesterday, made his Premier League debut last month and more than caught the eye on Tyneside – the boss spoke about the player’s talents and the development he can foresee the 21-year-old making.
He said, “He’s been with us from the start and has done very well since he came into the group.
“He’s not looked out of place at all; sometimes youngsters can come into the group and have a session or two where you might notice a difference in levels, but that hasn’t happened with Steven.
“The others can see his quality every day he's with us, that naturally grows his confidence. It’s never straightforward, but he performed well against Newcastle and I think he can continue to develop and improve.
“Against Chelsea he showed his adaptability in terms of starting in one role and then ending the game in midfield, so I’ve been really pleased with him. We have to make sure he’s playing to his strengths as often as we can – he can take the ball in tight situations and is good physically too, as well as being dynamic in his movement.”
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Potter also praised the performances of club captain Lewis Dunk so far this term, highlighting the fact that he believes the best could still be yet to come from the defender.
“Lewis has shown a really good level and there’s more to come from him. Sometimes players can hit their peak later than others and I think that applies to him,” he continued.
“We’re looking forward to working with him over the next few years because I think he can be a really top Premier League defender.
“He’s the type who wants to learn and get better, so we have to help him with that – as soon as you think you’re at your maximum, then you’re on your way down because the game can catch up with you pretty quickly.
“But he’s working well every day, of course he can improve, but he wants to learn all the time. He’ll have a good challenge this weekend with the attacking talents Tottenham Hotspur possess, and it’s about him being part of a strong defensive unit against that.”