He got up close and personal with Real Madrid star Gareth Bale in the summer before squaring up to Manchester City’s Treble winners in China.
And Scots starlet Terry Taylor is now being tipped for English Premier League stardom after his first taste of top-team action with Wolves in the Far East.
But the sad thing for Steve Clarke and the Tartan Army is that Molineux’s Aberdeen-born rising star has already committed to play for Wales, home of his mum Morag.
Teenager Taylor joined the Dons as an eight-year-old but left Pittodrie two years ago despite Derek McInnes’ attempts to keep him.
But it was in the Far East where he made his breakthrough after making two substitute appearances for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as they lifted the pre-season Premier League Asia Trophy.
Taylor is captain of Wolves’ Under-18 side but bypassed the Under-23s and has been propelled into the first team of the Midlanders.
Ryan Giggs also included him in his Wales squad for a warm-weather training camp in Marbella.
His recent rise to prominence continued when he featured as a late sub in the 4-0 win over Newcastle and then shootout victory against Manchester City that saw Wolves lift the trophy in Shanghai.
Taylor was so highly rated at Aberdeen that he made his debut for the Under-20s at the age of 14 and was in the same youth team as Dean Campbell.
Dons head of academy coaching Gavin Levey, now in his 13th season at Pittodrie, has watched the youngster, who recently turned 18, since he first joined the club.
And he is excited about the future, even if the Dons and Scotland won’t get the benefit.
He said: “I’ve been in touch with Terry while he has been in China. He sent me a text after the Newcastle game saying what a great experience it was and how the City game would be a stiffer test. I watched the City game on TV. It was great to see him come on.
“Terry’s a player who can take the ball under pressure. David Silva was in and around him and he was protecting the space but he wasn’t fazed.
“He was in Portugal with the Wales first-team squad for a training camp at the end of the season and he said Gareth Bale is an unbelievable athlete who he can learn from him.
“Wolves only carried around 16 outfield players in the first team last season so players had to go up and train and he was one of the ones being pulled up. The staff took a shine to him because he’s a good lad.
“Terry was with Aberdeen from the age of eight and we knew he was good technical player at that age.”
