There's no rush to get him into the Socceroos set-up but Graham Arnold is excited Al Hassan Toure has agreed to play for Australia's under-23s.
Toure will be named on Friday in Australia's under-23 squad for a friendly tournament in China after talks with Arnold over his international ambitions.
While it's an indicator Australia has won the tug-of-war for Toure's services with Liberia, the country of his parents' birth, the decision doesn't rule out the 19-year-old opting for the African nation at senior level.
With striker Jamie Maclaren injured, Arnold could have fast-tracked Toure into the Socceroos squad for next week's World Cup qualifier against Jordan.
But Arnold says that move would have been unfair on the player and he's happy with Toure's current commitment to the under-23s.
"The kid's doing great but the kid's also just new to the game," Arnold said.
"To bring him in to a Socceroos camp straight away can be quite intimidating.
"There's no way I want to make a rash decision to try and tie a kid down just over wanting a kid to play for us.
"The kid has also to want to play for us and he's given me those clear ambitions that that's what he wants to do. Let's have one step at a time."
Arnold will link up with the Olyroos in China after next Thursday's Socceroos match and is adamant Toure, who has shot to prominence in the FFA Cup and A-League, could become a key part of Australia's bid to reach next year's Tokyo Olympics.
"The conversation I had with Toure was just around what's next. What's next is the Olympic campaign and does he want to be a part of it. He assured me 100 per cent he does," Arnold said.
"He's got the greatest respect for Liberia and his family and where they come from. It's a big decision for a kid.
"I'm pretty sure that with that support he'll make the decision and he's pretty much said that to me, it's Australia, he wants to play for Australia and be part of this country. So it's great."
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