Young Up-and-Coming EPL Footballers Who Will Play Bigger Roles in 2014

Allan JiangOct 29, 2013

Here are young up-and-coming English Premier League footballers who will play bigger roles for their respective teams in 2014.

What defines up and coming? A player who hasn't been a regular starter for several seasons.

There will be a slide for honourable mentions.

If you believe you know a Premier League prospect who should be named in this article, please comment below.

Honourable Mentions

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: uncertain future.

Please note the list is not exhaustive. Feel free to comment below with your own examples.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal LAM, Age: 20

If he hadn't signed with Arsenal, he'd be the left attacking midfielder at Southampton.

Yes, Jay Rodriguez scored and created a goal against Fulham, but he lacks the explosiveness possessed by Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The other left-sided player, Steven Davis, has only contributed one league goal through an assist.

A hypothetical frontline of Adam Lallana, Pablo Osvaldo, Rickie Lambert and Oxlade-Chamberlain would be lethal.

Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski are reasons why Oxlade-Chamberlain's future at Arsenal is unclear.

Andre Wisdom, Liverpool RB/CB, Age: 20

Built like a centre-back, Wisdom has predominantly started at right-back for Liverpool.

Unable to break into Brendan Rodgers' first XI, Wisdom was sent on loan to Derby County, and he earned rave reviews on his debut from former England and current Rams manager Steve McClaren.

"He showed his quality, his strength and he was good on the ball," said McClaren, via Steve Nicholson at The Derby Telegraph. "All the qualities you expect from a player from Liverpool."

Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur CF, Age: 20

He stood out for England during their winless FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign by creating two goals against Iraq and scoring against Chile.

Kane scored a hat-trick against the Manchester City U-21s and was on the scoresheet against Chelsea U-21s.

Like fellow Spurs prospect Tom Carroll, a passing midfielder of some finesse, Kane is more likely to become a household name away from White Hart Lane.

James Ward-Prowse, Southampton DM/RAM, Age: 18

Making an accurate pass, moving into space, getting open to receive a pass and then completing another accurate pass isn't easy.

If it was as simple as it sounds, every player in the Premier League would have an 85 percent passing completion percentage.

Ward-Prowse completes 86.7 percent of his passes and has shown composure in tight situations.

His playing style indicates his future lies as a conductor in midfield, but he's been given a few games out wide due to his crossing ability.

Ward-Prowse's also has a good cross completion percentage at 36.8.

Jesse Lingard, Manchester United LF, Age: 20

When he scored four times against Sheffield Wednesday as a Birmingham City loanee, three of the goals came within an 13-minute span.

United have agreed to extend Lingard's loan at Birmingham to December, per BBC Sport.

The problem facing Lingard is he's starting on the left for Birmingham and Adnan Januzaj is making his mark for United on the left.

Jordon Mutch, Cardiff City CAM, Age: 21

Taking advantage of David Luiz's mistake, Mutch demonstrated high awareness not only to be in position but to get to the ball and calmly put it past Petr Cech for his side's only goal in its recent loss to Chelsea.

Kim Bo-Kyung is a better dribbler, but he lacks end product and has no goals or assists this season, whereas Mutch has been a game-changer so far.

Lucas Piazon, Chelsea LF, Age: 19

Considering Romelu Lukaku, the definition of a wonderkid, failed to receive a fair go at Chelsea, do you really think Piazon will break into Jose Mourinho's first team next season?

Piazon has been sensational on loan at Vitesse.

Deployed on the left in a front three containing target man Mike Havenaar, who's an underrated passer, and right forward Renato Ibarra, a counter-attacking threat, Piazon has shone.

In Piazon's last six league games, he has scored five times and created four goals.

Nathan Redmond, Norwich City LW, Age: 19

He's been vying with the two-footed Anthony Pilkington for the left-wing position.

Redmond has displayed flashes of brilliance such as blowing past an opposing player; however, he hasn't been able to convert his opportunities.

However, his willingness to defend shows good character traits which will put him in the good books of manager Chris Hughton.

Raheem Sterling, Liverpool RW, Age: 18

Sterling's life hit the heights when he burst into the Reds' first team, then he experienced the lows as an ugly court case threatened his integrity.

In the end, Sterling was cleared of assault on his former girlfriend as reported by The Guardian.

Blessed with speed and trickery, Sterling needs to focus on his career and live up to the hype.

Saido Berahino, West Bromwich Albion LAM/CF, Age: 20

Three days in September will be Berahino's footballing story if he fades into obscurity.

September 25, 2013: Outside of West Brom and people who followed the English youth setup, no-one knew who Berahino was.

September 28, 2013: After scoring against Arsenal in the League Cup, he scored against Manchester United.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke has warned against those who expect big things from Berahino right away.

"Six weeks ago, nobody spoke about Saido and now people want to put him in the World Cup squad," said Clarke, via Brendan McLoughlin at The Mirror. "I would like to see everyone back off Saido."

Serge Gnabry, Arsenal RAM, Age: 18

It could be desperation to prove himself, but Gnabry's tackling has been surprisingly good.

Obviously, it's a small sample size, but he averages more tackles (2.0) than Mathieu Flamini (1.6).

If Gnabry can continue hassling opposing players while also being effective in the attacking half, he'll challenge Theo Walcott—who still harbours aspirations to be a No. 9—on the right.

Wilfried Zaha, Manchester United RAM/LAM, Age: 20

He was in the headlines for getting into an on-field altercation with Ravel Morrison and hasn't done anything else.

Zaha is too talented not to make a bigger impression next season, but it's probable that it will be on loan at a bottom-tier Premier League club.

Andreas Cornelius, Cardiff City CF, Age: 20

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Andreas Cornelius, a 6'4" centre-forward, scored 20 times for Copenhagen last season.

This led to a £7.5 million transfer to Cardiff City, a fee Fulham manager Martin Jol opted not to pay.

"We knew him and he was on what we call our shadow list," said Jol, via Dom Bryant at talkSPORT. "But I thought he was too much and we couldn't afford it."

Injuries have curtailed Cornelius' start to the Premier League season, so Jol isn't regretting not signing the Danish striker.

Cardiff don't have an established No. 9, as Fraizer Campbell and Peter Odemwingie have yet to reach five goals this season, and that means Cornelius will have an opening to break into the starting XI.

Ravel Morrison, West Ham United CAM, Age: 20

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When Michael Owen arrived at Manchester United, he asked Sir Alex Ferguson who the young gun at the club was.

Ferguson told Owen it was Ravel Morrison.

Owen would witness Morrison's fall from grace at United, via The Telegraph:

"
In my three years at the club I watched the club try everything they could to make him turn up for training or be there on time.
They supported him, gave him the bad cop treatment, put him in the reserves, put him in the first-team squad. They even gave him a space in the first-team dressing room for a few weeks.
They did everything they could to turn him into a solid citizen.
They had to let him go.
"

Since moving to West Ham United, Morrison has given everyone an idea of the player he can become.

Will the perks of being a Premier League star derail him from reaching his potential?

Ross Barkley, Everton CAM, Age: 19

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Ross Barkley, who once suffered a broken leg, has no problems in taking punishment.

He's already been fouled 25 times in nine league games (even more than Lionel Messi).

Barkley will continue to be hacked down because he loves surging past opposing players.

In an interview with Andy Hunter at The Guardian, he talked about how he took in the advice offered by Steven Gerrard:

"
He said the big-hitters will be looking at me and be linked with me but that the main thing is I stay with the club I'm at, the team I support and the team I love, which is Everton.
He told me that playing is the main thing, that going to another team and not playing is no good for my development.
"

If Barkley becomes a one-club man, Evertonians should thank Gerrard.