Each season it seems a new young English talent is unearthed, the kind of player who gets every football fan excited with his trickery, pace or sublime skill.

In the last few seasons we have seen the emergence of some special talents, like Micah Richards and Theo Walcott, who have exploded onto the scene and even gone on to represented England.

Last season Arsenal managed to produce yet another exciting player in Jack Wilshere, a young left-sided midfielder who has plenty of craft and guile in the centre of the pitch. And the Everton duo of Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling provided a spark that helped their team to overhaul Aston Villa into fifth place.

The following five players will be hoping their skill and determination can push them into the limelight.

JOSH PAYNE (West Ham United, midfield): The West Ham academy has a proven track record of giving young players a first-team opportunity. Joe Cole, Mark Noble and Rio Ferdinand where all given a chance at an early age, while last season Jack Collison and James Tomkins both featured heavily. The next product of Tony Carr’s youth set-up could be the dynamic Payne, a player who can play as a centre-back or in the heart of midfield. He has a fantastic engine, which helps him cover the pitch from box to box while also having an eye for goal. A former captain of the Under-18s, he will be hoping that manager Gianfranco Zola gives him the opportunity to shine.

JAY EMMANUEL-THOMAS (Arsenal, midfield): Having just secured a professional contract at the Emirates, the captain of the FA Youth Cup-winning side skippered the Under-18s at just 16 years of age. His combination with Wilshere in the final of the Youth Cup helped overcome a strong Liverpool side with ease. Jay's confidence on the ball and great feet in tight situations make him an extremely talented midfielder. At well over six feet, he has the build to help him deal with the toughest opposition, something that the current Arsenal first team sometimes struggles with.

JONJO SHELVEY (Charlton Athletic, midfield): While Charlton found themselves at the foot of the Championship last season, their one shining light was the unearthing of a special talent. Jonjo made 16 appearances for the struggling Valley outfit, scoring three goals and putting together a string of impressive performances. He became Charlton’s youngest ever goalscorer at just 16 and is blessed with great vision and the ability to hit raking passes. An eye for goal combined with the ability to tackle makes him a almost complete midfielder. He will be hoping to continue in the first team and help Charlton gain automatic promotion.

MICHAEL MANCIENNE (Chelsea, defender): At just 21, Mancienne is being talked about as a future England defender and has drawn comparisons with Rio Ferdinand. Having already made more than 50 appearances in the Championship for QPR on loan, the classy centre-back helped Wolves gain promotion last term. He reads the game extremely well and can also play at right-back, making him extremely versatile. Having represented England from schoolboy level to Under-21s, his ability may see him pushing John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho next season for a starting berth. His composure and elegance on the ball certainly makes him a potential star.

FRASER FORSTER (Newcastle United, goalkeeper): Newcastle fans have been blessed over the past decade with two outstanding goalkeepers in Shay Given and Steve Harper. However, with the sale of Given and Newcastle’s relegation to the Championship, it could be time for the Geordies to introduce some of their young talent. At 6ft 7in, Forster is an intimidating figure between the posts who possesses agility and commands his box supremely well. Having represented England at youth level, he will be hoping to grab his chance should one come at Newcastle and prove that, even at 21, he can deal with the stresses of being the No.1 in Toon.