5 Unknown Players to Watch in the 2013/14 EPL Season

With just over a week and a half to go, the new English Premier League season is right on the horizon, featuring three newly promoted clubs and a multitude of summer signings.

There have been significant changes at the top of the tree: Jose Mourinho has rejoined Chelsea, David Moyes replaces the retired Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Manuel Pellegrini is the coach Manchester City have chosen to take over from Roberto Mancini.

Will it be Robin van Persie who steals the show this year? Or the fast-rising star of Philippe Coutinho? Are Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez even going to stay in England?

Besides the familiar storylines and big-name players, let’s take a path less traveled and look at five unknown players EPL fans should keep an eye out for in the 2013/14 season.

Read on to find out who just might become the next household names in the Premier League this season.

Jordi Amat, Swansea City

Swansea City fans could be forgiven for asking “who?” when Jordi Amat signed for the south Wales club this summer from RCD Espanyol, such is the low profile of the 21-year-old Spanish defender.

Thankfully, Swansea manager Michael Laudrup’s excellent record from La Liga in the transfer market (remember Michu?) will have eased many concerns. Indeed, Amat spent last season on loan at Rayo Vallecano, the previous club of a certain classy Spanish forward.

At just £2.5 million, as reported by BBC Sport, Amat comes on a low transfer fee but has both time and potential on his side, as well as a club captain in Ashley Williams who has apparently been learning Spanish for his teammates according to the South Wales Evening Post.

His impressive performance in the preseason friendly against Reading was a good start, and he followed this up with a mature debut display in the heart of the Swans defence in place of the injured Chico Flores against Swedish club Malmo FF in the Europa League.

An encouraging sign of things to come for a young prospect at the perfect club for development.

Jores Okore, Aston Villa

Next on our list is another young defensive prospect, 20-year-old Danish international Jores Okore, who signed for Aston Villa from FC Nordsjaelland for a reported £4 million, according to the Daily Mail.

Having impressed in the Champions League with the Danish club against Premier League powerhouses Chelsea, Okore was linked with a move to the Blues in January, as reported by Goal.com, but has chosen Villa Park as his next destination.

Upon arriving in England, Okore immediately outlined his hopes to become a leader in Paul Lambert's defence, and his pacy, physical style of play will ensure that he hits the ground running in Lambert's young side.

Sam Tighe has more in his scouting report on the starlet for Squawka. The hype is already there for Okore, but don't be surprised if he turns out to be even more.

Adnan Januzaj, Manchester United

A telling indication of the inexperience and young age of this next "unknown" is the fact that Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj doesn't even have a Wikipedia entry yet.

But United fans, players and coaches alike will have found out a whole lot more about the Belgian prospect during their whirlwind tour of East Asia this summer, where Januzaj was one of the standout performers in a group consisting of both experienced internationals and academy graduates.

Having arrived at Old Trafford from Anderlecht in 2011, Januzaj has been playing for a new contract with United, as reported by the Guardian, and, in Wayne Rooney's absence from the preseason tour, has impressed greatly.

With his silky skills, dribbling and creative flair, 18-year-old Januzaj could make the step up to David Moyes' senior squad this season, especially if the reported pursuit, according to BBC Sport, for Cesc Fabregas does not materialize. (There are more pressing issues at the back for United to address via the transfer market.)

According to the Mirror, Januzaj has already caught Moyes' eye. Not a bad start at all.

Yaya Sanogo, Arsenal

A joke is currently doing the rounds across Premier League fanbases: Having been linked with Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas, Gonzalo Higuain and Luis Suarez all summer, Arsene Wenger has only signed Yaya Sanogo.

A free transfer from AJ Auxerre is a far cry from the star names that have been bandied about in association with Arsenal, but if his debut in the Emirates Cup against Galatasaray was anything to go by, Sanogo might turn out to be yet another real find by Wenger.

Squawka's scouting report on Sanogo will provide interesting reading for Gunners fans in addition to his encouraging first performance, where he allied a quick, physical style with some elegant passing and technique.

Judging by Arsenal's reported targets, Wenger is very much in the market for an established striking alternative to Olivier Giroud.

But we all know what Wenger really is famous for: youth development—and the still-raw Sanogo could make the step up impressively this season.

Jordon Ibe, Liverpool

Rounding off our list is yet another hot young prospect who has impressed greatly during this preseason: Liverpool hotshot Jordon Ibe, still only 17 years of age.

Premier League fans will have heard of Raheem Sterling and seen the way he started his senior career with a bang last season, and in Ibe, they might well witness another pacy, tricky winger explode to life in the Liverpool first team.

Opening his Liverpool account in just his second appearance with the senior squad—a friendly against Preston North End—Ibe shone in his summer outings with the Reds while on tour in Asia, wreaking havoc on opposition defences with his raw speed and eye for a killer pass.

In Brendan Rodgers, Ibe has a manager who has a track record of giving youngsters opportunities to play in the first team, and in Sterling, he also has a friendly rival who will only spur his development even more quickly.

Liverpool have strengthened their forward line this season with the additions of Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto—and Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa might yet be on his way, if reports such as this one from BBC Sport are to be believed—but if Luis Suarez departs Anfield, he may find his first-team chances easier to come by.

Or, more likely, Jordon Ibe will force himself into first-team contention all by himself.

For more extensive coverage on the Premier League, check out my Bleacher Report writer’s profile and follow me @theredarmchair.