Former Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Joe Hart WILL eventually establish himself in the senior England side – so says under-21s boss Stuart Pearce.

Hart, who joined Manchester City from Shrewsbury for an initial £600,000 had been widely tipped to feature in Fabio Capello’s England squad for next Wednesday’s friendly in France.

But those hopes were dashed when he was yesterday named in Pearce’s under-21s squad instead, for their friendly with Poland at Molineux on Tuesday.

Shrewsbury stand to pocket £500,000 as soon as he makes his senior debut as part of the transfer agreement with City that could eventually take the fee up to £1.5m.

And Pearce has no doubt the 20-year-old will eventually make the step-up if he maintains his current rate of progress.

“Do I think he’ll be a senior England goalkeeper at some time in the future? Yes I do – I have no doubts in my mind he will play for the seniors at some time if he keeps improving on what he’s done this season,” said the under-21s chief, who was also Hart’s boss at Manchester City last season.”He’s had a fantastic season. When we (Manchester City) signed him from Shrewsbury last summer we thought he was an up and coming goalkeeper. We thought he might have to sit behind a No 1 for a period of time.

“He’s got in the side quicker than I thought he would. He’s the sort of boy who won’t come out of the team now.

“I think he’s only conceded one penalty for us (England under-21s) so far. That’s a mark of how well he’s done.

“It’s important he gets his experience now. He’ll get more experience playing for us now than he would as No 3 keeper sitting in the stands for the England senior squad.

“We’re acutely aware players need to be pushed through at the right time.

“I think his time will come – that may depend on his form and the form of others in front of him. But I have no doubt he will and some other people in this squad will come through.”